Patna: The Congress on Sunday staged protests here and in Muzaffarpur, targeting the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over the tragic death of a Dalit minor girl, who allegedly succumbed due to “gross medical negligence” after sexual assault.
Demonstrations erupted in both Patna and Muzaffarpur, with Congress leaders accusing the state government of criminal apathy, administrative failure, and systemic insensitivity.
In Patna, Congress workers led by state unit president Rajesh Ram gathered at Income Tax Golambar, burning effigies of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Health Minister Mangal Pandey, while demanding a judicial probe and the resignation of the Health Minister.
“If the girl does not get justice, I will travel across Bihar with her ashes,” announced Rajesh Ram during the protest.
The incident dates back to May 26, when the girl — a resident of Kudhni block in Muzaffarpur — was found lying under mysterious circumstances in a canal. She was allegedly raped before being dumped into the canal.
Muzaffarpur Congress District President Arvind Kumar Mukul, speaking during the protest, said: “Despite repeated requests to airlift the girl to Patna, the district administration did nothing. Only after intense pressure, was she referred to PMCH, where she was made to wait four hours in an ambulance before any medical attention arrived.”
He further claimed that treatment only began when state Congress chief Rajesh Ram personally intervened in the matter at PMCH. Tragically, the girl died soon after.
“This government chants ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ but in reality, girls are dying from lack of treatment. The administration remains silent while the poor are being victimized. The Health Minister must resign,” Mukul told reporters in Muzaffarpur.
In Muzaffarpur, Congress workers blocked the Saraiyaganj Tower intersection, bringing traffic to a standstill for hours. Slogans against the government echoed throughout the city as protesters demanded justice for the girl and accountability from top officials.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ranjit Ranjan also slammed the NDA government, calling it a “double-engine government in deep slumber.”
“Serious crimes are happening across Bihar, but the government is asleep… law and order has collapsed broken, the health system is in ruins, and yet no one is held responsible,” Ranjan said.
The deceased girl belonged to the Dalit community, and her death has sparked a larger debate on caste, healthcare inequality, and administrative accountability in Bihar.
(IANS)
