Anna Hazare's anti-corruption wave seems to have hit the Janata Dal-United government in Bihar with a party MLA accusing a senior minister of being corrupt and calling for the latter's removal from the state Cabinet.
Talking to rediff.com, Member of Legislative Assembly Shyam Bahadur Singh described Rural Works Minister Bhim Singh as a 'ghooskhor mantri' (corrupt minister) and alleged: "Bhim Singh kaam ke badle paisa leta hai. Nitish Kumar ke clean image ke liye dangerous hai (Bhim Singh charges money in return for any work. He is dangerous for Nitish Kumar's reputation)."
"I recently visited him to request the transfer an engineer (who also happens to be the MLA's relative) suffering from cancer from Biharsharief to Siwan or Saran district, but Bhim Singh refused. He treated me like a dog when I visited him at his Janata darbar to request him. I will file a defamation case against the minister as he misbehaved with me and did not pay heed to my request."
"My relative, who died on August 16, was forced to spend his last few days away from his family at the place of his posting. Bhim Singh said that if the engineer was ready to
pay money, his transfer was not a problem."
Shyam Bahadur Singh has requested Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to sack him from his cabinet to deliver a corruption free government that he promised to the people.
Bhim Singh is considered close to Nitish, who had declared a war against corruption in the state soon after coming to power last year.
Bhim Singh, however, has refuted the allegations.
"It is baseless. All transfers in my department were made following rules," he said.
