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PARTIES SORE OVER SLOW INVESTIGATION
10 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES CORRESPONDENT, PATNA.
 

Silence is golden, they say. But not so for the State Government. The stony silence of ruling NDA Government on the murder of Professor Papiya Ghosh is fuelling more speculations than providing relief to the pain of the residents.

So much so that now Political Parties have started crying foul on Government’s approach and want an “investigation” into its quietness.

“The Government did not issue any statement on the murder of Professor Ghosh. Their silence is promoting crime,” said K D Yadav, member CPI (ML) Central Committee. “After all what is the reason behind their silence on the issue is a matter of investigation,” opined Prem Chandra Mishra, Spokesperson of the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC).

“In fact, the failure of the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister to either issue a statement or visit the deceased’s house is fuelling speculations that the murder was done for grabbing the property and there are also hints of political patronage as well. “The CM’s silence is adding credence to the theory.” Vijay Kant Thakur of the CPM maintained. “ More than 100 murders have taken place in last couple of years for grabbing land. Papiya’s father Ujjal Kumar Ghosh, a former DM of Darbhanga, was murdered under mysterious circumstances,” he added. “All these murders are for grabbing property and some of the ruling party MLAs are involved in it,” alleged RJD MLA, Shyam Rajak.

Feeling dissatisfied with the entire approach of the Government, the Congress Spokesperson said: “It is pure inaction. They murder was done in a planned manner and a sitting or retired High Court Judge should probe the matter.”

Yadav of CPI (ML) was more critical of Government’s functioning and said there was no difference between this Raj and the previous one.
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WHY CBI PROBE? THEY CAN’T SOLVE MURDERS, SAYS NITISH
J P YADAV
11 DECEMBER 2006, INDIAN EXPRESS, NEW DELHI.
 

Bihar Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar, while sidelining the demand for a CBI probe into the murder of noted Professor of History Dr Papia Ghosh and her maid, today opined that the CBI does not have the expertise to solve murder cases.

Talking to Reporters in his chamber in the State Assembly, Kumar stressed it was the duty of the State Police to probe the murder. “CBI does not have expertise in murder cases. It is mainly for corruption cases. This is the job of the State Police and it is doing it,” he pointed out. He felt the Opposition was raising a hue and cry over it since they did not have any issue against his Government.

The fact is that the Police are clueless even a week after the Professor and her maid were stabbed to death in their posh Patliputra Colony house. They have not been able to arrest anyone in the matter nor have they recovered the Professor’s car said to have be taken away by the killers. “There is not an angle which we have not examined. But so far there are no leads,” said a top Police officer.

The killing of Dr Ghosh—a noted researcher of Modern History—has generated sharp reaction among the state’s intellectual and academic fraternity, who are demanding a probe by the CBI. Teachers of the Patna University, where Dr Ghosh used to teach, too, want the CBI to be roped in. They have even declared a strike on December 14 to press their demand.

Today, the Opposition joined in and did not allow the Assembly to function, raising the murder and other issues pertaining to law and order. Dr Ghosh’s IAS officer sister, Tuktuk Ghosh, has reportedly taken up the matter with Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh. It is learnt that the PM has spoken to Kumar in this regard.

However, the CM’s reluctance to hand over the probe to CBI is contrary to what he had done in after the theft of priceless statues from Patna Museum. The Investigating Agency had cracked the case within days of being handed over the probe.
 

‘WHY ARE PAPIYA KILLERS STILL UNIDENTIFIED?’
PARTHA PRATIM ROY,
11 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA.
 

Activists of Bengalee Association, University Teachers, members of the Intelligentsia and Human Rights Activists unanimously demanded a CBI probe into the gruesome murder of Patna University History Professor, Papiya Ghosh and urged the Nitish Kumar Government to nab the killers at the earliest.

Seething with anger they sat on Dharna at Kargil Chowk on Monday protest the brutal killing of Prof Ghosh's murder.

"The Dharna is organised to pressurise the Government to arrest the killers immediately. We want to know why Papiya's murderers are still unidentified? Are they were more powerful than the Government?" said the President of Bengalee Association Dilip Sinha. "If the Government fails to nab the killers within the next seven days we will take out a peaceful procession in the State Capital in which the members of Bengalee Association from all parts of the State will participate. We will also submit a Memorandum to the Governor shortly if we do not see any progress in the case, Sinha said.

President and Secretary of PUTA (Patna University Teachers Association) Professor UK Sinha and Prof Randhir Kumar Singh and Secretary PURTA (Patna University Retired Teachers Association), Dr Subhas Kumar Ganguly, who were also participating in the Dharna condemned the dastardly act and demanded immediate arrest of the killers.

Professor Purnendu Mukherjee, coordinator All India Bengalee Association and HoD, Bengalee Department, B N College and Professor Jayanti Sarkar, Department of Economics, Darbhanga House, Patna University also demanded immediate arrest of the assailants. "I am concerned over the inordinate delay in nabbing the culprits. Justice delayed is justice denied'" Mukherjee said.

Dr Dilip Sen who was also present said, "We will not end our agitation till the killers of Papiya are sent behind bars."

MURDER ROCKS HOUSES
11 DECEMBER 2006, HINDUSTAN TIMES, PATNA.
 

".....how many deaths will it take till he knows, that too many people have died; the answer my friend is blowing in the wind....."

Improvising on a popular Bob Dylan tune, Patna Women's College students sang for their favorite Professor, Papiya Ghosh, as they marched, holding candles, to the JP Roundabout here on Monday evening. The emotion, anguish and hurt was evident as friends of the late Professor broke down while recalling their association with the wonderful human being and acclaimed scholar that she was. There were messages from Scholars of various Universities in Berkeley, London, Chicago, Duke, Rutgers, Jadavpur and Delhi. Many participants said they were upset that even 10 days after her murder, the police were yet to nab her killers.

Earlier in the day, a combative Opposition disrupted proceedings in both Houses of the Bihar Legislative as it pressed for acceptance of its Adjournment Motions articulating the law and order concerns arising out of the Patna University Professor's murder. It also expressed concern about the progress of the Police investigation and demanded that the Government handed over the probe to CBI.

However, Chief Minister, Nitish Kumar dismissed the Opposition's demands. He said the Professor's killing was not the kind of case the CBI is equipped to handle. "Demanding a CBI probe has become a fashion nowadays," he said.

"The Police are on the job. I have personally reviewed the progress of the investigations only on Monday. A breakthrough should not take long. But we must have patience. Undue brouhaha will not expedite matters," he told reporters after the House were adjourned. He also dared the Opposition to come out with information, if it had any, on the Papiya case.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition, Rabri Devi, declared that the Bihar Legislature would not be allowed to function till such time as the Adjournment Motion was admitted and deliberated upon.
The Professor was stabbed to death along with her maid in her posh Patliputra home on the night of December 2/3.

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