Patna, October 7
The Chief Secretary of Bihar, G.S.Kang, today confirmed the identity of the assailant of the former Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravishanker Prasad, as a Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activist.
The news severely dampened the plans of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar who were trying to politically capitalise on the issue in view of the coming Assembly polls.
Mr Kang said, today, that contrary to the perception that the assailant fired from behind the dais, the VHP activist was very much on the dais from where he opened fire.
According to Kang, it was up to the political party to decide as to who would stay on the dais and there was no security lapse on part of the police.
He said that the document recovered from the assailant and the subsequent raid at his residence convinced the police that he was a VHP activist.
The police has seized some incriminating documents which could create a furore in the state political circle, he said.
Sources in the police did not rule out the possibility of in fighting within the BJP and the alleged involvement of the rival faction of Rameswar Prasad Chaurasia.
VHP Organisational Secretary Radhamohan Singh dismissed the allegation of the Chief Secretary by terming it a conspiracy to defame his organisation. "Munna Rai was never linked to us”, he claimed.
Meanwhile, the police have shifted Munna Rai, who was almost lynched to death by the public yesterday, for treatment to Patna.
