Biharis are not a burden on anyone: Nitish Kumar

Purnia: CM Nitish Kumar said the Janata Dal (United) government was firmly rooted in the state and no wave could sweep it off the seat of power while ridiculing BJP for blowing its own trumpet.

Addressing the JD (U) 'Sankalp' rally at Ranghbhoomi Maidan in Purnia on Sunday, the CM rapped the Gujarat CM, though not mentioning his name even once, for blaming Biharis for burdening his state. "The Biharis are never a burden on anyone but have rather carried the burden of others on their shoulders and enriched the wealth of other states," the CM said.

Tearing into his one time ally and coalition partner, BJP, the CM accused it of pursuing a divisive agenda and 'spoiling the atmosphere of amity and peace' which existed among the people of the state. "The BJP leaders were now singing paeans of praise about those who often hounded Biharis from their state," the CM said.

Explaining the purpose behind the 'Sankalp' rally which will be held at 12 places across the state, the CM said it was to reaffirm "our pledge to get special category status to Bihar and warned the Centre against any kind of pussyfooting. We have already waited too long and the deadline set by us has already passed," adding party supporters from all the four districts of Purnia division (Katihar, Purnia, Kishanganj and Araria districts) had converged on the rally in large numbers.

Taking a potshot at Purnia BJP MP Uday Singh, state JD (U) chief Bashist Narayan Singh, who presided over the rally, charged him with not just stabbing the party which was once in alliance with it but also knitting a web of lies and misinformation. Dhamdaha and Rupauli JD (U) MLAs Lesie Singh and Bima Bharati, too, rapped the Purnia MP for his tirade against the JD (U) and castigated him for organizing 'Vedna' rally last year to malign the government.

Among those who attended the rally were power minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav, law minister Narendra Narayan Yadav and MLAs Sarfaraz Alam, Bima Bharati, Manohar Prasad Singh and district chiefs of the party. National chief of JD (U) and Madhepura MP Sharad Yadav, while briefly addressing the rally, assailed the BJP for pursuing a divisive agenda and asked the partymen to halt it in its track.

Responding to the demand for inclusion of Kolahiya 'bridari' Muslims into the 
backward category, which was supported by many MLAs, the CM asked law-makers to put it before the Backward Commission and assured them of positive response if it got the nod of the commission.

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