Anand Mohan’s release as per norms: Nitish

Bihar chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday broke his silence on the row surrounding the release of murder convict former MP Anand Mohan Singh from jail and said he was surprised by “attempts to politicise a completely non-political issue” by those who were also in favour of it till a couple of months ago.

Showing pictures of some BJP leaders with Anand Mohan taken a few months ago to the media, Kumar said the release of prisoners on remission was not a new thing and it happens across the country in keeping with the provisions in the Central Prison Manual, 2016. “There is nothing unusual about it. Just compare the number of prisoners released with or without remission every year across the country. In 2020-21, the number was 105 in Bihar, while it was six times in UP and in many states smaller in size, it was 3-4 times,” he told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Patna.

He said it was strange how and why a political party was creating so much fuss over something that has been done in accordance with the laid down provisions.

“The Central guidelines issued in 2016 had no such clause differentiating between murder of a common man and a government servant. Bihar had such a clause and we removed it. Is there a need for such a distinction? Those opposing it today also wanted it to be ended till a few months ago, but now that we have done it, they are opposing it. Anand Mohan has served his sentence and his release is as per laid down provisions after seeking opinions from concerned quarters. It is not a political thing,” he said.

He also defended Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, who is in the eye of storm over alleged huge expenditure on renovation of his official bungalow. “”I don’t believe in individual criticism whether I am with anyone or not. He has won elections in Delhi. All those who win elections are confronted with such things,” he said.

The CM also expressed surprise over the way the ongoing caste survey in the state was being challenged in the courts. “It is not a caste census. That is Centre’s domain. It is altogether a different matter that for the first time Census, which happens every 10 years, is not happening and the best part is nobody is even talking about it. What we are doing is caste survey. We wanted it to be part of the national census and an all-party delegation also met the Prime Minister with a request. But the Centre did not accept it and said the states could do survey if they wanted. We are doing it. Why should anyone have objection to it? There is already counting of Muslims, SCs & STs in the census,” he said, while addressing civil servants at the function.

CM’s statement came on a day the Supreme Court refused to entertain requests against the caste survey in Bihar and asked the petitioner to go to the Patna High Court.