Enact law to seize corrupt politicians' property: Nitish urged

Upendra Kushwaha, a Rajya Sabha member, said that if Bihar can enact legislation to confiscate the properties of corrupt officials to convert them into primary schools, why not enact a similar law for corrupt politicians.

"After Anna Hazare's anti-corruption campaign tasted success, now the time has come to make changes in the existing law to confiscate the properties of corrupt politicians, including ministers and legislators. The Bihar government should take a lead to step up its fight against corruption," Kushwaha, who was one of the four JD-U MPs suspended last month for his alleged involvement in anti-party activities, told IANS.

Kushwaha, who has been repeatedly questioning the much publicised anti-corruption initiatives of Nitish Kumar, said there was an urgent need to enact a legislation to take tough action against corrupt politicians.

"Like corrupt officials, there are corrupt politicians who have constructed palatial buildings and accumulated wealth by illegal means. The government must act against them also," he said.

Kushwaha said that unless the government decides to act against corrupt politicians, the fight against graft will be half-hearted in Bihar and elsewhere. "Bihar can be a role model in the country if it enacts a legislation to take on corrupt politicians."

Soon after assuming office of chief minister for the second consecutive term last year, Nitish Kumar declared a war against corruption and announced that it will not be tolerated in the state.

Last December, a special court ordered confiscation of property of former motor vehicles inspector Raghuvansh Kunwar. The government has directed that a school be opened in Kunwar's house at Chaira village in Samastipur district.

Kunwar was allegedly caught while accepting a bribe of Rs.50,000 Sep 24, 2008 when he was the motor vehicles inspector of Aurangabad district. The government last year put in place the Special Courts Act that will enable it to confiscate the properties of corrupt officials.

Six special courts, two each in Patna, Bhagalpur and Muzaffarpur, were constituted by the government with the permission of the Patna High Court for speedy trial of cases involving a total sum of over Rs.25 crore.