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Tag: Nitish Kumar

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar chairs high-level meeting to review coronavirus situation

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting here to review the coronavirus situation in the state and directed officials to pull up their socks to contain the recent spike in COVID cases owing to “second wave” of the pandemic.

    Kumar said that there was a possibility of return of migrants from worst-affected states and, as such, officials must set up quarantine centres at block levels on the lines of the ones which were established last year when millions had returned home after losing their jobs and homes during the nationwide lockdown.

    He also reaffirmed the need for raising testing rate in the state, which had come down to about 20,000 samples per day recently in view of a dip in the incidence during winters, by five times.

    He pointed out that aggressive testing and isolating, by means of setting up containment zones in the worst-affected zones, along with the ongoing vaccination drive will help the state overcome the sudden rise in coronavirus cases.

    The chief minister was accompanied by health minister Mangal Pandey and top officials of the state at the meeting here, while District Magistrates were connected through video conferencing.

    He also called upon the need for strict enforcement of preventive measures like social distancing, wearing of face masks and regular washing of hands.

    Principal Secretary, Health, Pratyaya Amrit during his presentation in the meeting said that eight districts- Patna, Jehanabad, Gaya, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Samastipur, Siwan and Saran-have maximum number of active cases in the state.

    The chief minister ordered testing of all health and frontline workers as well as their kins.

    He also emphasised on speeding up the inoculation process in the state.

    A total of 3496836 citizens have been given jabs in Bihar till Monday.

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar visits residences of party leaders to spread Holi joy

    By Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accompanied by his senior cabinet colleague Vijay K Choudhary, adhering to all safety protocols of COVID-19, celebrated Holi with a difference on Monday. He paid surprise visits to the residences of some senior party leaders and greeted them on the occasion of Holi. He also placed tilak on their foreheads.

    Kumar, without any prior planning, visited the party’s most aged and senior leader Vashishth N Singh, greeted him with sweets and spent some time at his residence. Before Kumar’s visit, Bhagwan Singh Kushwaha had visited Singh’s residence which has also triggered a speculation of Kushwaha’s home coming back to JDU. At present, Kushwaha is in LJP.

    After visiting Singh’s residence, the CM paid a surprise visit to the residence of senior leader and Minister of Building Construction Dr Ashok K Choudhary. “It was a great gift and blessing to us on Holi from a leader like Nitish Kumar ji, who with our senior leader Vijay K Choudhary and others, visited our residence. We felt sentimental as well as extremely grateful to the chief minister, who blessed us like a guardian”, Dr Choudhary said.

    The chief minister ate some”pakban”(cuisines) cooked on the occasion of holi at Choudhry’s residence.

    “We wish all a very happy, healthy and colourful life with peace, prosperity and brotherhood”, the CM was heard saying while speaking to other colleagues.

  • RJD calls Bihar bandh Friday to protest police action in Bihar assembly

    By PTI
    PATNA: RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Thursday gave a call for “Bihar Bandh” on March 26 in protest against forceful eviction of opposition MLAs from the assembly when they were agitating against the police bill two days back.

    Yadav further said that the bandh would include matters concerning unemployment and farmers issue on which a call for all India bandh on Friday has been given by the farmers’ bodies.

    The RJD leader claimed that the bandh has the support of Congress and other opposition parties that included left parties- CPI-ML, CPI(M) and CPI.

    “We have given a call for Bihar bandh tomorrow in the state. Though an all-India call has already been given by the farmers’ bodies for March 26. We witnessed a black day on March 23, the day when the state government murdered the democracy,” Tejashwi said.

    “Our MLAs were beaten up by police while holding dharna peacefully in front of the Speakers chamber,” the leader of opposition in the assembly told reporters here.

    The legislative assembly had witnessed unprecedented chaos when the grand alliance legislators had gheraoed the speaker’s chamber literally taking him hostage and their women members had prevented the speaker from taking his seat in the house later.

    Videos of the unruly scenes on Tuesday showed opposition members laying seize of speaker’s chamber and some of them being bodily evicted by the police and marshals later.

    Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had severely criticised the “unparliamentary” behavior of the opposition MLAs and while emphasizing on the need for the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, had said had they debated the legislation the government could have cleared their doubts point-by-point.

    Hitting out at the chief minister, the RJD leader said “Kumar is in the last stage of his (political) career.

    The post (of CM) is not meant permanently for anybody”.

    He, however, also warned officials allegedly working at the behest of their political masters and said that they Should know that no one knows as when the government will collapse.

    “Bihar police have become JD(U) police,” he said while asserting that he is not afraid of them.

    “The state government will have to withdraw the ‘black legislation’ or at least it will have to bring certain amendments to the bill which has been passed forcibly,” he said.

    The bill has already been passed by both houses of the state legislature.

    In reply to a query that action may be taken against them (RJD members) for their misconduct in the assembly on March 23, he said “we are not afraid of any action.

    We are not like BJP workers who get frightened by such intimidation”.

    Highlighting past precedents of gheroe of speaker’s chamber, Yadav said “In 1974, socialists had occupied speakers chair and conducted the proceedings during Congress regime but police force was not called inside the assembly.

    “Not only this, Karpoori Thakur as CM had referred a bill to select committee after stiff protest from opposition in 1978,” Tejashwi said reminding Kumar of the past happenings.

    In 1986 when CM Kumar was himself a member of the House, Karpoori Thakur had sat on dharna for three consecutive days in the assembly on the issue of HEC, the 31-year-old son of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad who was not even born then, said while asserting that police was not called inside the house even at that time.

  • Don’t mess with numerically stronger NDA: Nitish warns Opposition

    By PTI
    PATNA: Enraged over the day-long rumpus created by the opposition on the previous day, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday warned the Grand Alliance against provoking the ruling NDA which was numerically stronger.

    Kumar made the remark inside the legislative council where he rose to intervene when MLCs of the opposition coalition led by RJD tried to create a ruckus over the previous day’s happenings inside the assembly.

    The Bihar Special Armed Police Bill, 2021, which had led to the day-long drama on Tuesday, was presented and being debated inside the Upper House a day later when Grand Alliance members made noises about the “high handed” manner in which MLAs were thrown out of the assembly a day earlier.

    Quivering with rage, the 70 years old chief minister screamed at the top of his voice “the entire public saw what goondaism took place yesterday. They will give you a befitting reply”.

    Waving an angry finger at Congress MLCs, Kumar said they seemed to have lost their sense of propriety following their long association with Lalu Prasads party which has often been accused of rowdyism.

    He also said “do not forget that we are greater in number than you are. Yesterday, people of this side sat quietly, maintaining decorum, while you were engaging in mischief. Be mindful of the consequences”.

    In the 243-member assembly, the ruling NDA has 126 MLAs besides it enjoys the support of an Independent.

    The opposition has 110 legislators while AIMIM has 5 and one MLA is from LJP.

    In the 75-member legislative council, the ruling coalition has overwhelming numbers.

    Later, talking to reporters, Kumar expressed displeasure over the opposition accusing him directly of having called the police, on Tuesday, inside to help marshals physically evict the most unruly of the opposition MLAs.

    “It is the Speakers prerogative to requisition whatever resources he deems necessary to maintain order inside the premises.

    “Whatever happened yesterday was unusual but has there been any other instance, in any state legislature, of the Speaker having been held hostage”, Kumar asked.

    He also deplored the opposition indulging in acts like tearing up documents and throwing shreds of paper towards the Chair besides clambering atop the speakers dais to physically prevent him from running the House.

    Asked about the intention expressed by speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha that action might be taken against those MLAs whose behaviour was found most objectionable, the chief minister replied “the government has nothing to do with that.

    “If the speaker deems it fit, he will take action in accordance with rules. We will neither egg him on nor try to restrain him”.

  • Apologise for assembly ruckus or we will boycott remaining sessions: RJD to Nitish Kumar

    By ANI
    PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday demanded an apology from Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar following a ruckus in the state assembly over the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill 2021. He also threatened to boycott the remaining assembly sessions in the tenure of the current government if Kumar doesn’t issue an apology for the same.

    Terming the Bihar Chief Minister as “Nirlajj Kumar Ji”, Tejashwi said, “Nitish Kumar Ji should know that governments change. MLAs were abused and beaten inside the assembly yesterday.”

    “If Nitish Kumar does not apologise for the incident, we may boycott the assembly for the remaining tenure. ‘Nirlaj Kumar Ji’ has lost all shame,” he added.

    Meanwhile, an FIR has been registered against Tejashwi and his brother Tej Pratap Yadav, along with several unnamed party workers, for the protest they carried out on Tuesday against the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill 2021. Police resorted to baton- charge and had also used water cannons to maintain the situation.

    On Tuesday evening, the assembly session witnessed multiple adjournments as the RJD leaders shouted slogans against the bill. After a few Opposition leaders prevented Speaker Vijay Kumar Sinha from leaving his chamber, police personnel reached the assembly premises to evict the MLAs. Women MLAs of the Opposition were carried out of the assembly building by women security personnel.

    RJD leader Jagdanand Singh also condemned the incident and said: “The ruling government in Bihar has made ‘mockery’ of Bihar.”

    RJD claims that that the Bihar Special Armed Police Bill means that search will be conducted without a warrant and “any policemen can arrest if he believes something is wrong”. 

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar inaugurates 7-day Museum Biennale

    Express News Service
    PATNA: In a first, a weeklong Bihar Museum Biennale 2021 that kickstarted in Patna on Monday, saw the participation of seven other countries and exhibits from other states. 

    Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar inaugurated the Biennale via video conference and interacted with other experts. He was joined by the French ambassador Emmanuel and other heads of museums from seven other countries including the UK, Germany, South Africa and Italy. 

    Kumar said that the biennale will help other countries in developing cultural bonds with Bihar’s rich cultural and historical grandeur.

    Sources said that the collections of antique values, housed in different museums within and outside the country will also be exhibited virtually throughout the period of the biennale.

    Apart from this, a special arrangement has been made to conduct training and workshops for those interested in learning the history, archeology and cultural artifacts at a two-day conference which is a part of the biennale.

  • Bihar CM Nitish Kumar conducts on-spot inspection of river embankments ahead of rainy season

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Ahead of the rainy season which mostly causes flood, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday conducted on-spot anti-erosion works inspection, which is now being carried out in Gopalganj and Saran districts along the embankments of the Gandak river. 

    During the inspection, Kumar, who has an engineering background, directed the engineers of the Water Resource Department (WRD) and other officials to complete all the works prior to the commencement of rainy seasons or the flood times. 

    Accompanied by WRD minister Sanjay K Jha, Sunil Kumar, and others, the CM inspected the Bandhauli-Sheetalpur-Faizallahpur zamindari embankment at Pakaha under the Baikunthpur block of Gopalganj district and the Saran embankment.

    The CM said that works being done on the embankments will help in preventing any miseries in flood-prone areas. 

    “Work is being done in the right way and many suggestions have also been given to ensure that the people don’t have any kind of problems during the rainy season”, Kumar told the media.

    He also discussed with officials of concerned departments and directed them to take all measures to ensure safety from flood miseries caused by the rain to the people of areas.

    Secretary of WRD Sanjeev Hans and other officials gave details about the work being carried out to CM.

    The CM also interacted with local representatives and took their suggestions for flood preventive works.

  • Bihar govt cancels leaves of doctors, health workers till April 5

    By ANI
    PATNA: In view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases, Bihar Health Department on Friday cancelled the leaves of all doctors and health workers till April 5.

    This order has come into force with immediate effect.

    On Wednesday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, following the interaction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Ministers on the COVID-19 situation, said the state government had decided to increase the number of daily COVID-19 tests.

    “The PM held a meeting with all CMs today on the COVID-19 situation. Bihar government is alert. We will soon hold a meeting with all districts. It has been decided to take the number of daily tests to 70,000 again,” Kumar had told the media persons here.

    “The situation in Bihar is under control but we should be careful. I will hold a meeting at the district-level in two days regarding the COVID situation in Bihar,” he had added.

    Meanwhile, India has reported 39,726 fresh COVID-19 cases, 20,654 recoveries and 154 deaths in the last 24 hours, as per the Union Health Ministry.

    As many as 3,93,39,817 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine had been administered till 8 am on Friday in what is billed as the largest vaccination drive in the world. 

  • After meeting with PM Modi on Covid-19, Nitish Kumar says testing rate to be hiked

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said his government would be cranking up the testing rate for COVID-19, in view of the recent spike in some parts of the country, even though situation in the state was not as alarming.

    Talking to reporters who asked him about the meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the pandemic in which chief ministers of all states took part, Kumar, however, ruled out measures like closure of schools and colleges.

    “At the meeting with the PM, chief ministers of states reeling under a fresh spike made their statements. Fortunately, in Bihar the situation is not that bad,” he said.

    Nonetheless, it has been decided that testing rate in the state, which had dipped to less than 50,000 samples per day, be raised to around 70,000, with an emphasis on RT-PCR, Kumar said.

    Till a few months ago, testing rate in the state stood at well above one lakh samples per day.

    The same was reduced in the wake of a fine recovery rate, in excess of 99 per cent, and the number of active cases remaining in three digits for quite some time.

    He also said that vigil will be tightened on those travelling to the state from outside and expressed confidence that situation will remain under control as a result of these measures, besides the vaccination drive which is underway.

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    Replying to a query, he said “no, we see no reason now to order closure of schools and colleges.

    Of course, some restrictions have been placed on holding Holi Milan programmes because at such festive gatherings it becomes difficult to follow measures like wearing of masks and social distancing.

    That is not the case with educational institutions”.

  • After RLSP -JD(U) merger, Nitish Kumar rewards Upendra Kushwaha with top party post

    By PTI
    PATNA: Bihar’s ruling JD(U) on Sunday received a shot in the arm with the merger of RLSP of Upendra Kushwaha, a former protege of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who came back under his wing nine years after having fallen apart.

    The merger took place at the JD(U) state headquarters here, where the chief minister welcomed Kushwaha, a former Union minister, by presenting him with a bouquet.

    Top JD(U) leaders like Rajeev Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, Sanjay Kumar Jha and Vashisth Narayan Singh and key office bearers of the now dissolved RLSP like Madhaw Anand and Fazl Imam Mallick were also present.

    The much-anticipated reunion, likely to be mutually beneficial, comes on the back of hectic parleys between the two leaders in the recent past.

    Soon after he was inducted into the JD(U), Kumar announced Kushwaha’s appointment as the national parliamentary board president “with immediate effect”.

    Kushwaha, who brings on table his support base of the sizeable Koeri caste, vowed to make the JD(U) “the number one party” in Bihar and said that after having been witness to “many ups and downs” as the RLSP founding chief, he looked forward to making use of his experience under the guidance of Nitish Kumar.

    Kushwaha was in political wilderness since his exit from NDA in 2017.

    READ HERE | Friendship restored: Upendra Kushwaha announces official merger of RLSP with JDU in Bihar

    Feeling “stifled” in the RJD-led Grand Alliance, he quit the coalition ahead of the assembly elections last year and ended up facing political isolation notwithstanding the support of his Koeri community which is the second most populous OBC group in Bihar after the Yadavas.

    Kumar, who is serving his fourth consecutive term in power, has suffered a diminution in clout on account of the JD(U)’s unimpressive performance in the assembly elections which saw him lose the upper hand to the BJP.

    The chief minister, who has since relinquished the post of the JD(U) president, nonetheless enjoys supreme control over the party and has been busy consolidating his Luv-Kush (Kurmi-Koeri) base, in a bid to hold his own against the BJP juggernaut.

    Kumar himself is a Kurmi, a caste that is numerically small but very influential by virtue of being economically and educationally advanced.

    After cutting his teeth as a youth leader in the Lok Dal and Janata Dal, Kushwaha went on to become the deputy leader in the state assembly of the Samata Party, a breakaway group which Kumar had formed along with veteran socialist leader George Fernandes.

    ALSO READ | Protesting JDU merger, 35 senior RLSP leaders join RJD, attack Upendra Kushwaha

    By 2004, after the JD(U) an entity formed with the merger of Samata Party with Janata Dal’s splinter group headed by Sharad Yadav emerged as the senior NDA partner, Kushwaha became the Leader of the Opposition.

    He got expelled from the JD(U) for anti-party activities in 2007, but was re-inducted two years later.

    He was rewarded with a Rajya Sabha seat but ambition got the better of him in 2013 when he fell apart with Kumar once again and floated the Rashtriya Lok Samata Party.

    The BJP-led NDA, which was then desperate for new allies in the wake of the exit of Kumar, welcomed Kushwaha and his fledgling party won three seats in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, riding the Modi wave.

    Kushwaha himself was appointed the Minister of State for HRD, a post he held till his exit from the NDA.

    Meanwhile, Ashok Choudhary, one of the closest aides of the chief minister, summed up the buoyancy in JD(U) camp.

    “It is being increasingly clear to all that the future belongs to the brand of politics popularised by Nitish Kumar. In the recent past, many have crossed over. Upendra Kushwaha’s return adds another chapter. In future, many more may follow,” he said.