Nitish laments environment of intolerance

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today lamented an environment of intolerance and confrontation prevailing in the country today and called for countering it through a broad-based national agenda based on Gandhian values.
In an apparent attack against the BJP, which is organising a march at Motihari on April 19 in which its national president Amit Shah will participate to celebrate 100 years of Champaran satyagraha, Kumar said, "There are some who believe only in the name Gandhiji and not in his philosophy."
It was on April 10, 1917 that Mahatama Gandhi had landed in Patna on way to Champaran to launch an agitation against forced indigo cultivation by British colonialists.

Speaking at a two-day "Rashtria Vimarsh" programme, where noted Gandhians Gopal Krishna Gandhi, Justice (Retd) Chandrasekhar Dharmadhikari, Justice (Retd) Rajendra Sachar, S N Subbaroa, Sachidanand Sinha, Medha Patkar and Prerna Desai were present, he called for framing of an alternative national agenda based on Gandhian ideology.
The "Rashtria Vimarsh" heralds the centenary celebration of Champaran satyagraha.
Three other kins of Gandhiji, Raj Mohan Gandhi, Tushar Gandhi and Tara Gandhi, will join the discussion tomorrow.

Gopal Gandhi, Dharmadhikari, Sachar, Subbarao and Medha Patkar were critical of the NDA government and stressed on promoting harmony in society, safeguarding environment, river and land of poor farmers.

Kumar in his welcome address emphasised that Gandhian ideology held more relevance today in view of the prevailing "atmosphere of intolerance" and "confrontationist policy".
With Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Prasad Yadav and Bihar Education minister Ashok Choudhary present on the dais, Kumar said that for the next one year the state government would "knock every door" with Gandhian thoughts.
He said that while others talk of "vikas" (growth) only, his government worked on the motto of "growth with justice".
Gopal Gandhi was critical of the Union government's ordinance on Land Acquisition, misuse of Aadhaar number for things like mid-day meal in schools and irregularities in the running of NREGA in which name of Gandhiji has been included.

Environmentalist Medha Patkar hailed Nitish Kumar for raising the issue of deposition of silt in the Ganga and demanding demolition of the Farakka barrage.