Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took a dig at BJP-led Central government on Wednesday for raising an alarm over a COVID-19 spike at a time when Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra was gaining momentum.
Mr Kumar also lashed out at a National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) team visiting Bihar in the wake of the Saran hooch tragedy, asking whether such teams had visited other States where similar tragedies had taken place.
“First of all it should be known why they [the ruling BJP at the Centre] had become laidback over COVID-19 and why they have become vigilant when the Congress people are taking out Bharat Jodo Yatra which is gaining momentum now,” Mr Kumar told media persons on the sidelines of a function in Patna. “Why do these people [the BJP] have an objection to the Yatra and why do they themselves keep taking out processions?” he asked.
In August this year, Mr. Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) had severed ties with the BJP to form a mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) government in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress and other parties in the State. His comments come in the context of a recent letter from Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya, telling the Congress to ensure COVID-19 protocol at the Yatra or to postpone it, in the “national interest”.
Bihar hooch tragedy | Nobody can claim 100% prohibition, says Nitish Kumar
‘COVID under control’
Mr. Kumar asserted that the COVID-19 situation in Bihar was fully under control, noting that the testing rate was never allowed to slow down even when there was a sharp dip in the incidence of the disease. “We kept up aggressive testing in the State even when there were reports of zero cases or it was in single digits,” said the Chief Minister. “The number of people tested for every 10 lakh population is about eight lakh and that has been far better than the national average of six lakh.”
When asked about Centre convening a high-level meeting to mull over the recent reports of a surge in COVID-19 cases, Mr. Kumar said, “We here had never been complacent but since the place [China] has had a sudden surge, all are in a tizzy”.
NHRC probe
The Bihar Chief Minister was also critical about the nine-member NHRC team which visited Saran on Tuesday to probe the consumption of illegal liquor or hooch, which resulted in the deaths of at least 38 people, while others lost their vision and are critically ill. “I want to know whether they had ever bothered to send such teams to other States where similar tragedies had taken place,” said Mr. Kumar.
His Deputy Chief Minister and RJD ally Tejashwi Yadav also slammed the probe. “The NHRC team’s visit is a propaganda by the BJP-led Centre to defame the state government,” he said.
Compensation will be given
When asked about giving compensation to the victims’ families in Saran -- which the Opposition BJP and ruling Left parties have regularly been demanding -- Mr. Kumar said, “There is a provision in the Bihar Prohibition and Excise (Amendment) Act, 2016 for giving compensation to the victim’s family with money recovered from those who are booked for liquor trade. This will take place in due course.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP leaders and legislators staged a demonstration and sat on dharna on the State Assembly premises on Wednesday, protesting the failure of the State’s prohibition policy and demanding compensation for victims’ families. “They were in support of prohibition when they were in the government. But now that they are out of power, they are busy finding faults. We need to be watchful of any mischief they might be encouraging,” said Mr. Kumar.
