bihar bjp leader baitha
Bodies of those killed in an accident after a Mahindra Bolero that lost control and rammed into a government school building crushing 9 kids to death and injuring 24 at Ahiyapur in Muzaffarpur of Bihar on Feb 24, 2018IANS

Days after nine schoolchildren were mowed down by a Mahindra Bolero in Bihar's Muzzafarpur district, the Bihar BJP unit on Monday suspended party leader Manoj Baitha for six years. Baitha's suspension was confirmed by Bihar BJP's vice-president Devesh Kumar, who had earlier claimed that the accused was not a party member. 

On February 24, a Mahindra Bolero allegedly driven by Manoj Baitha had rammed into Muzzafarpur's Dharampur Government Middle School killing at least nine children and injuring 24 others.

The eyewitnesses had claimed that the occupants of the car were in an inebriated state. The probing officials were also under pressure from the Opposition parties in Bihar, including Tejashwi Yadav of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) who has repeatedly demanded Baitha's arrest. The Opposition parties are also staging protests outside the state's legislative assembly. 

Meanwhile, the accused BJP leader's father Narayan Baitha has said that he last saw the driver take away the vehicle and after that, he does not know what happened.

bjp leader bolero
A Mahindra Bolero that lost control and rammed into a government school building crushing 9 kids to death and injuring 24 at Ahiyapur in Muzaffarpur of Bihar on Feb 24, 2018.IANS

Congress VP Rahul Gandhi had also grabbed the opportunity and targetted the saffron party in the state asking for Baitha's suspension and arrest. Taking a dig at the Bihar CM, Gandhi had tweeted, "In 'drug free' Bihar, a BJP leader under the influence of liquor kills nine innocent children. Nitishji, is this the truth of your prohibition?"

"The voice of your inner conscience is saving whom – the accused BJP leader or the truth of liquor in Bihar?" Gandhi added.

 

Politics or justice?

While the Opposition has been making remarks on JD(U) and BJP combined since the school tragedy, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi seems to have kept his word by taking stringent action against Baitha.

"No question of saving the person because of his relations with the Bharatiya Janata Party or Rashtriya Janata Dal. Innocent children were killed, and there is no bigger crime than this," Modi told ANI.

On the evening of the incident, the investigating police officials had also discovered certain documents which were all in the name of Baitha. 

bihar police-manoj baitha
Muzaffarpur Superintendent of Police Vivek Kumar inspects the crime scene after a Mahindra Bolero that lost control and rammed into a government school building crushing 9 kids to death and injuring 24 at Ahiyapur in Muzaffarpur of Bihar on Feb 24, 2018IANS

A section of social media users has hailed the suspension fo Baitha, while a few raised questions about why Baitha has not been arrested so far. Here are few reactions:

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