Former Speaker Meira Kumar slams Nitish and Modi over special status
She alleged that both the State and Central governments are engaged in destroying Bihar
Ahead of the Union Budget to be presented on July 23 by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calls to grant Special Category status to Bihar have intensified in the State.
Former Speaker and Congress leader Meira Kumar on July 12 slammed the governments of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over denial of Special Category status. Ms. Meira Kumar asserted that despite being a partner of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre, it was an irony that Mr. Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) needed to plead before the Prime Minister for the Special Category status.
Bihar’s call for special category status | Explained
Lashing out at the Centre over the long pending demand, Ms. Meira Kumar also said that the Modi government does not care about the people of Bihar.
“Modi ji should have announced it soon after the election but he has not done that yet. It seems he is neither bothered about the people of Bihar nor is he serious about the man [read Nitish Kumar] who had switched sides once again. It is very unfortunate,” Ms. Meira Kumar said while speaking to the reporters at Patna airport.
On Thursday, senior JD(U) leader and Bihar Parliamentary Affairs Minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary demanded a special package for Bihar if the Centre cannot grant Special Category status. Mr. Chaudhary pointed out that Bihar lacks natural resources and a special package will help in speeding up developmental work.
Even Minority Affairs Minister Jama Khan on Friday pushed for special status saying that Bihar should get either special status or a special package in the upcoming Union Budget. Another JD(U) Minister Ashok Choudhary echoed the same view and said that the Bihar government is hopeful of getting assistance from the Union government.
JD(U) is an important alliance partner of the BJP as the Modi government at the Centre relies on support of the party which has 12 members in the Lok Sabha. Last month too, when JD(U) held its national executive meeting in Delhi, the party had pushed for special status or special package.
Ms. Meira Kumar also targeted the Bihar government over repeated collapses of bridges in the State.
“The State and Central governments together are engaged in destroying Bihar. So many bridges have collapsed, but no investigation is being done. No action is being taken against the culprits. What is this government doing? The public is watching how the bridges are collapsing. We demand a proper investigation and strict action should be taken against those responsible,” Ms. Meira Kumar said.
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