'Rule of law' will prevail till I am at helm, says Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

PATNA: With his party's influential MLA Anant Singh locked in jail in a kidnapping case, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said law was equal for everybody.

"Law is functioning on its own ... my government will neither shield any law-breaker nor implicate anybody in any false case," Kumar told reporters after a meeting of the state cabinet.

"The government does not work under anybody's pressure. Law is equal for everybody," Kumar said speaking for the first time after the arrest of the JD(U) strongman Singh, who represents Mokamah assembly seat.

Kumar asserted that rule of law prevailed in the state under his government and he stood firmly on the promise made to people during "Nyaya Yatra" in 2005 before coming to power that if his government came to power it would work on the pledge "growth with justice."

"Till the time I am at the helm of affairs, rule of law will prevail in the state," he said.

Asked to react on allegation of senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi that the state government acted against Anant Singh as elections were round, Kumar rubbished the charge retorting "if some crime takes place when election is near should we not act against it?"

The chief minister said he did not give much credence to BJP's criticism of his government and would rather ensure good law and order situation.

RJD President Lalu Prasad has claimed it was his "pressure" which led to the arrest of the JD(U) MLA.