Bihar’s latest shelter scandal at centre run by Cong leader’s NGO

Even as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into allegations of mass rape at a shelter home in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur goes on, another case of exploitation of female inmates at a shelter has surfaced.

The institution, Alpawas Grih, is in Hajipur, 50-odd kilometres from Muzaffarpur. Several inmates of Alpawas alleged that a senior functionary at the shelter, Manmohan Prasad Singh, often visited their floor alone and touched them inappropriately.

The inmates alleged Singh also forced them to massage his legs and hit them if they refused. At least one inmate also alleged he recently tried to tear her clothes off.

Singh is serving the Women Development Corporation, under the social welfare department, as its Vaishali district programme manager. Shelter manager Karuna Kumari confirmed that Singh would order all staff members to go downstairs while he himself would visit the inmates either alone or with another official, Priyanka Kumari.

The inmates had reportedly complained against Singh about a month ago, following which the district magistrate ordered for a probe. Convinced by the probe report, the DM ordered Singh's arrest.

Political Twist

The state government and the governing Janata Dal (United)-Bharatiya Janata Party coalition have drawn flak over the Muzaffarpur case because of government largesse towards prime accused Brajesh Thakur.

The Hajipur case, however, has the potential to reverse that narrative and put the Opposition on the mat. Nidan, the non-government organisation that runs Alpawas, is headed by a man who also dons the cap of the head of one of the Congress party's national cells: Arbind Singh, executive director of Nidan, also chairs the All-India Unorganised Workers Congress.

This special All-India Congress Committee (AICC) cell was launched by Congress President Rahul Gandhi last November and is believed to be one of the projects close to his heart. Singh is believed to be close to Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken.

The JD(U) has already tried to create an uproar over Thakur's alleged links with Congress parliamentarian and former Union minister Akhilesh Singh. Alpawas and Nidan may become another source of embarrassment for the Grand Old Party.

Bihar Congress chief Kaukab Qadri told Catch that since his party has been constantly raising its voice to hold the state government accountable for the Muzaffarpur case, it would not hesitate from acting if any Congress leader was found to be involved in any such case. 

He added that though AICC officials were beyond his jurisdiction, he would discuss the issue with the party high command.

Weeks ago, old photographs of Thakur with Akhilesh Singh had come out, giving JD(U) an opportunity to allege that Thakur had links with the Congress. Thakur himself had reportedly said he wanted to contest elections from Muzaffarpur on a Congress ticket.

With Nidan and Arbind Singh in the picture now, the JD(U)-BJP combine may get yet another opportunity to turn the tables on the Congress.