Businessman's son kidnapped in Bihar
by Ajay Kumar

    Patna: In yet another incident of extreme lawlessness in Bihar, the son of a businessman was kidnapped from Patna, relatives said on Friday. Prashant Jain, who was returning from his work late last night, was abducted at gunpoint. Ujjwal Kumar Jain, father of the kidnapped boy ruled out enemity as a cause. "He was returning home after closing down the shop when some people who were waiting outside kidnapped him. Then the guard came and told us about the entire incident we rushed to the spot but in vain. Then we lodged a complaint in the local police station. ... We do not know this happened, he did not have any enemity," he told reporters. This is the first such incident after change of guard in 15 years in the state, which is infamous as a crime ridden state. Police officials said they have no clue about the abductors.

    Kidnappings are not new to Bihar. Nor are extortions, murders and caste killings; nor the naxalite killings. For the last 15 years, Mr Laloo Prasad Yadav has been in power and he cannot but accept that heinous crimes and violence have vastly increased during his reign. To provide protection to the citizen is a fundamental duty of the State and failure to discharge it is bound to be questioned by the people. Last year's kidnapping of Patna student Kislay Kaushik got some attention because he was studying in a convent school in the state capital. But kidnapping of children for ransom is common in many parts of Bihar, particularly in small towns, so much so that news is found only in some odd corner of the newspapers. Actually, kidnapping is no longer news in Bihar, the state where successful doctors, engineers and businessmen can be taken away by kidnappers every other day. So routine is the phenomenon that the people have lost the faculty of reacting to it with indignation.

    The people have stopped being sensitive to criminalisation of Bihar. Extortions and killings have become common for them. Caste gangs - respectfully called Senas - are roaming around in many parts of Bihar's strife-torn countryside with impunity, looting property, extorting money, killing and fighting battles with rival Senas. No one stops them from doing so. The state has also been allowing naxalite groups to do whatever they want to - enrol frustrated youth to their ranks, and kill class enemies, perceived or otherwise, in the process making the State administration look more an object of pity or sneer than a source of help. Where Senas and Naxalites are not having their sway, the mafia are calling the shots. These groups are ruling much of Bihar's countryside, extorting money and killing whosoever they like, for effect, or for greed. The mafia strike equally among the landless, or those who have land but are not on their side, local traders or anyone who dares to challenge them. The administration does not raise a little finger. Bihar has indeed become an example of a failed state, afflicted by most of the ills of Indian society, politics and economy. The tragedy is that no one in India really knows what ought to be done about it. Businessmen allege a nexus between kidnappers, local politicians and the state police.

    Analysts say the situation is so grave that over 10,000 small and big businessmen have fled the state, shrinking state economy to abysmal depths. Lack of employment opportunities drives away the talent pool in the poor state and those remaining take to different forms of crime to make a living. Analysts say that the new government in the state has a tough task on hand after a stint of "mis-governance" and the slightest improvement in the law and order as well as infrastructure will definitely help in the development and prosperity of the state and its people.

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