The ruling Janata Dal (United) in Bihar said on Monday that it would raise in Parliament the issue of the Union government’s advisory to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar not to visit Janakpur in Nepal to meet earthquake victims.
“The decision smacks of politics… We’ll raise the issue in Parliament and seek a reply [from the government],” JD(U) spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member K.C. Tyagi said.
Earlier, Mr. Nitish Kumar had expressed his willingness to visit Janakpur to express solidarity with the victims, mostly from Bihar. Nepal and the Union government were informed of his programme, Mr. Tyagi said. However, the External Affairs Ministry had suggested to Mr. Kumar to defer his visit and undertake it at an opportune time. “When Nepal has no objection to Mr. Nitish Kumar’s visit what was the problem of the Union government,” Mr. Tyagi asked. Some Union Ministers had visited relief camps opened at Raxaul on the India-Nepal border and expressed satisfaction with the relief operations there. Mr. Nitish Kumar, too, praised the quick rescue and relief operations done by the Union government in Nepal.
