Paswan Rips Nitish following Jeep Accident

Patna: July 15, 2008

Union Steel Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) president Ram Vilas Paswan, during his visit to the Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) to meet with the family members of the victims of the jeep accident on Tuesday, blasted the state government for failing to improve road conditions and blamed it for the loss of 20 lives in the tragedy.

"Today only 20 people have died; tomorrow 2,000 will give their lives on Bihar roads. There is not a single road in Patna that could be deemed as safe or hole-free. Roads are blocked in most areas and construction workers have left the streets incomplete making them death traps for everyone," Paswan said adding had this accident happened on the streets of some Western country, the people would have sued the government for millions of dollars.

Central Minister Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who also visited the hospital where autopsies were being performed on all the victims, also accused the Nitish government of 'driving the state into a deep abyss' and criticized the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for not meeting with the victims' families.

Demanding Rs. 5 lakh for each of the affected family, Singh said that despite tall promises by the Chief Minister, situation in Bihar had worsened in the last three years.

State Energy Minister Ramashray Prasad Singh and Cooperative Minister Giriraj Singh, while expressing grief over the tragedy, said the government would do everything to rehabilitate and compensate the victims' families.