JD-U blames Centre for injustice to Bihar

The ruling JD-U on Saturday expressed its displeasure over the central government's attitude towards Bihar and blamed it for injustice to the state, including not granting the special category status.

"Why injustice is being done to us? What crime we have committed? The Centre has no proper attention towards Bihar," said senior Janata Dal-United (JD-U) leader and parliamentarian R.C.P. Singh, considered close to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the party president.

Without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Singh said in an all party meeting in the state assembly that if a commitment can be made to Andhra Pradesh then why not to Bihar which is more backward.

Singh said that central government has forgotten Raghuram Rajan committee report that has recommended to priority should be given to the backward states in granting special package and special status.

This is for the first time a senior JD-U leader has expressed unhappiness with the central government led by its ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) since the party joined hands with the BJP and formed the government in Bihar after dumping Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress.

In the all party meeting called to discuss the 15th finance commission, the leaders of ruling JD-U, opposition RJD and Congress have requested the central government to accord special status to Bihar without delay.

"Issue of demand of special status was raised in the meeting of all party and it was unanimously decided to put pressure on the central government to grant it to the state," RJD leader Shivanand Tiwari said.

The all-party meeting was chaired by Speaker of the state assembly Vijay Kumar Choudhary. Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi and Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav were not present in the meeting.

Choudhary, in his address, said that demand of special status to Bihar should be included in the memorandum of 15th finance commission that will be sent to the central government.

Besides declaration of special package by Prime Minister Modi should be mentioned. "The Centre should give genuine rights to the state," he said.

Last month, ahead of Modi's visit to Motihari to participate in the concluding ceremony of Champaran Satyagraha centenary celebrations, JD-U leader and former Minister Shayam Razak said: "Modi should grant special status to Bihar as promised during his visit."

In March, Nitish Kumar said he had not given up the demand for special status to Bihar "for even one second" since he first raised it in 2005.

--IANS

ik/pgh/vm