Mohammad Shahabuddin, the controversial Rashtriya Janata Dal MP from Bihar's Siwan parliamentary constituency, says he is unfazed by the arrest warrant issued against him by the state police for alleged involvement in a murder case.
Shahabuddin appeared unperturbed when Chief Correspondent Tara Shankar Sahay met him for an interview at his Meena Bagh home in New Delhi.
What do you have to say about the arrest warrant issued against you by the Bihar police in connection with a murder case that took place three years ago?
I came to know about the warrant after watching Doordarshan and other television news channels. I can only comment after I return to Siwan and find out exactly what this is all about. I have no case pending against me for the last three years which the media has been talking about.
Do you think the arrest warrant could be in connection with the murder of Jawaharlal Nehru University student union leader Chandrashekhar?
Doordarshan has been talking about (the murder of) Munna Chowdhary and you have now reached JNU and Chandrashekhar. I really don't have a clue. Tell me, why should the media speculate, why should it haul an MP over the coals when it has nothing against me but make-believe?
There can be no smoke without fire...
(Heatedly) Don't lecture me on the media's fire and smoke. I am tired of its warrant.
Why have you been absent from the Lok Sabha for long periods?
I tour my constituency, I meet people. If I keep winning, surely I enjoy the voters' confidence in my constituency.
Siwan is still backward and there is no sign of any development. Why is it so?
What development are you talking about? Siwan has no industry, no university. Making roads is no development.
But as its MP, aren't you responsible for Siwan's development?
Parliamentarians don't have responsibility for these things, they are responsible for framing policies. Ever since funds for constituency development have been allotted, there has been some work in this context.
Earlier, MPs were not concerned with vikaas (development).
Do you think a conspiracy is being hatched against you?
Such questions have no meaning for me. If there is a conspiracy, I shall face it. I am not unduly bothered.
What is your RJD party's stand about your predicament?
How can my party come into the picture if there is a case against me? Your question is totally irrelevant.
After all, you are an MP belonging to the RJD.
It is a matter pertaining to a case in court, even if a warrant (against me) does exist, how can my party come into the picture?
Bihar Director General of Police D P Ojha has issued a warrant for your arrest.
I think he is after cheap popularity, he has lost his mental stability. He has suddenly raked up an issue which is supposedly three years old. Nobody knew who Bihar's DGP was till now.
But now the whole country knows who Bihar's DGP is.
Who cares?
It is also being said the Bihar government exerted pressure on Ojha to act as he did.
Oh no! Why should the state government do it? If it is a question of pressure, it should be from the court, not the state government. It is concerned with law and order. It has nothing to do with a three-year-old case. As I said before, even if there is a case or warrant, such an old episode has no bearing on law and order at present. At the most, the state government can come into the picture to execute if the court issues a warrant.
I will have to find out.
Why did you lash out against DGP Ojha?
I am still saying he is mentally imbalanced. If something harsher is to be said, words fail me. What the hell is this all about? The district administration doesn't know, the court doesn't know. Three years ago, there was a case in which nothing emerged, there is no name. The police came to my house (in Siwan) and the police superintendent who conducted the attack fabricated this case against me.
I don't think people will have any difficulty in understanding the devious design against me. About 10 persons died in the attack on my house and it was in order to save his skin that the SP, Bacchu Singh Meena, fabricated this case.
There was no warrant against me neither was I named.I did not feel the need for getting bail. It has cropped up against because of the DGP's madness. If the court has issued a warrant against me, I respect it. I shall certainly apply for bail in court.
Are you involved in a face-off with RJD leader Laloo Yadav?
There is no such thing. I have family relations with Laloo Yadav, not simply political ties. There might have been minor irritants between us, but at the party level we had no problems. We have deep and personal relations.
Will you respond if the court summons you?
I will go when the judiciary summons me. But when it gives me bail, no power on earth can fool around with me.
