Patna : A longstanding property dispute within the family of late Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan has resurfaced, drawing attention ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The conflict revolves around the division of ancestral land and residences spanning Khagaria, Patna, and Delhi, with accusations of political maneuvering from both sides.
The dispute has now reached legal authorities, with Paswan’s first wife, Rajkumari Devi, filing an FIR at Alauli police station in Khagaria. She has accused her sister-in-law, Shobha Devi (wife of Pashupati Kumar Paras), and Sunaina Devi (widow of Ramchandra Paswan) of mental harassment. The police have initiated an inquiry.
Amidst the growing tensions, Union Minister and LJP (R) leader Pashupati Paras dismissed the allegations as a political stunt. “This is merely an attempt to gain political mileage,” he said during his Bihar tour.
Chirag Paswan Remains Silent
LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan, currently in Delhi, has refrained from making any public statements. Sources close to him indicate he is monitoring the situation through party representatives. His elder sister has been dispatched from Patna to their ancestral village to support their mother.
A Family Divided Over Property
Asha Devi, the elder daughter of Rajkumari Devi, claims the dispute arose after her father’s death. “When my father was alive, there were no issues. My mother managed the 90 bigha ancestral land for five decades. Now, my uncles have taken control of the property and refuse to share it,” she said.
According to Asha Devi, the dispute escalated when Shobha and Sunaina Devi allegedly attempted to take control of a room occupied by Rajkumari Devi in their ancestral home. “They have already seized the land. Now, they want to evict my mother from the house,” she alleged.
Rajkumari Devi, speaking from the family’s ancestral home in Shaharbanni, reiterated her demand for an official division of property across all locations. “We have no objection to a fair distribution on paper. My two sisters-in-law already have 30 bighas, while I have 20. But we also deserve a share in Patna, Delhi, and other properties.”
Political Fallout
The dispute has sparked allegations of political exploitation. Pashupati Paras’s party spokesperson, Shravan Aggarwal, accused Chirag Paswan of using the controversy to derail Paras’s political programmes. “This is being exaggerated for political gain. Chirag Paswan is playing a calculated game to sabotage our event on Ambedkar Jayanti,” he alleged.
Chirag Paswan, however, is expected to visit his mother after Parliament concludes its discussions on the Wakf Amendment Bill. His party has dismissed the accusations of political theatrics, maintaining that the issue is purely a family dispute.
The Legacy of Ram Vilas Paswan
The late leader’s personal and political legacy continues to influence Bihar’s politics. His two marriages and the subsequent divisions within his family have further complicated matters. In 2014, Paswan publicly admitted to divorcing Rajkumari Devi in 1981, following his second marriage to Reena Sharma in 1983.
Following his death in 2020, the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) split into two factions. In 2021, five LJP MPs sided with Pashupati Paras, removing Chirag Paswan from the party’s leadership. However, in the 2024 general elections, Chirag Paswan made a political comeback, winning five seats and securing a ministerial position in the Modi cabinet.
Property Holdings and Disputes
- The Paswan family owns significant assets across Bihar and Delhi. According to affidavits filed in previous elections:
- Ram Vilas Paswan owned 15 acres of agricultural land in Shaharbanni and properties in Patna and Delhi.
- His second wife, Reena Paswan, holds a petrol pump in Delhi and residential properties.
- Chirag Paswan has immovable assets worth over Rs1 crore but no agricultural land.
- Pashupati Paras owns land in Khagaria, Bodh Gaya, and Greater Noida, with properties worth approximately Rs78 lakh.
