The deputy chief minister, on the other hand, said that he had no relations to the matter. “I have many relatives, but I do not intervene in their personal affairs. I do not have any idea if any one is using my name to threaten the family members of the poet,” he was quoted in the Telegraph as saying.

Hemant Devi, the daughter-in-law of Dinkar and grandson, Arvind Kumar Singh, had on Monday arrived at Chief Minister’s Janata Darbar with a complaint that Mahesh had been threatening to forcibly take possession of the late poet’s house, Dinkar Bhawan, on Arya Kumar Road near Machuatoli.

Arvind had said that Mahesh, to whom his family had leased out a shop on the premises of their house, had refused to vacate the premises even after the lease period ended. Arvind also said Mahesh, who had political connections, had abused and threatened the family. But Sushil Modi said that no one can threaten or harass anyone, especially Dinkar’s family, and law would take its own course.

But Dinkar’s daughter-in-law Hemant was more categorical in criticizing the attitude of the chief minister. She said: “Nitish Kumar is talking about good governance and development but what about people like us? My father-in-law was a great poet and a national icon. He is recipient of various awards. But his own state has failed to respect him. My husband passed away a few years after our marriage. This is the only house we have. Even that is being taken away from us by force and the chief minister is doing nothing to help us.”

According to her Nitish gave a vague response and said this was not the right place to discuss the matter as this was the Janata Darbar for the BJP and Janata Dal (United) members. She said that Sushil Modi was sitting beside the chief minister at that time.

The news of attempt to grab the house of Dinkar has come as a shock to many literature lovers of the state. That this is happening in the state during what they say the so-called ‘susashan’ era is unthinkable. Perhaps family of national hero like Dinkar was not even touched in the past, many of them told BiharTimes.

Comment

comments...

CM should take stern action against those who taking law and order in their hands. Modi should stop defending criminals. Last time it was a rape accused MLA and this time his own brother. Sometimes Nitish's silence really gives doubts on his cleam image. This is right time both take strict action on the goons and come out clean. I am surprised to see the response of Police. Are they still in such pathetic condition? Mr Manu Maharaj we are reading lot of your brave work but looks like you are just trying to prove here on some petty thieves and still you have no hold on big criminals. High time you all should rise above caste, creed and family afairs.
- Sarvesh

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Administration should immediately take up this issue with high priority before it becomes a matter of National news and the media starts encashing it on the name of Bihar.

Pankaj Sinha

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This news is very upsetting and this great poet family must be treated with utmost respect. It looks Mahesh Modi & co is going to be another Sadhu Yadav in making. Nitish Kumar must check it otherwise his arrogance and very lenient approach towards BJP and their leaders will force the state to write his obituary soon like the way the door has been shown to Laloo, Paswan and Jagannath Mishra in the past.
Nitish Kumar must wake up from his sleep and overconfidence. He should not invite anymore public wrath and see what is happening in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen etc. If this sort of things will keep coming up again and again then the time is not far when the same public who have given him thumping vote will turn against him and his policies.

EJAZ AHMAD

Dubai, UAE