Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said today those who attacked his convoy with stones in Buxar district last month wanted to "target" him, and that he would have been happy to "take the blows" if they had waited for a few more seconds.
Shortly after the alleged attack, which Kumar escaped unharmed, RJD chief Lalu Prasad's son and Leader of the Opposition Tejaswi Yadav had visited the scene where he was accorded a warm reception, triggering speculation about a political motive behind the stone-pelting.
"While our convoy was on its way to the venue of the public meeting in Nandan village of Buxar, I learnt that some women were standing on both sides of the road, agitating over some issue. I had decided to get down from my vehicle and speak to them. But, before I could do so, stone-pelting began," Kumar told reporters narrating the incident.
"It was obvious that the attackers wanted to target me. I would have been happy to take the blows on myself if they had waited for a few more seconds. But they made haste and ended up injuring officials and policemen," Kumar said about the January 12 incident.
He was on a tour of the area to review the execution of development schemes.
The chief minister, who was speaking to journalists after his weekly 'Lok Samvad' during which he interacts with members of the public, said the protesters were Dalits and were angry over the benefits of welfare schemes not reaching their ward.
He said the government was committed to according top priority to localities having concentration of people belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
"I have also asked officials not to be too harsh against those arrested. In the first place, I would not have approved of the arrests. But it is now difficult to persuade the police department as their own men have been injured in the violence," Kumar said.
He said he has instructed the authorities concerned not to oppose the bail applications of those arrested.
About opposition RJD's criticism of him having got 'Z plus' security cover less than a couple of months after Lalu Prasads security was downgraded, Kumar said,"I cannot dictate to the Centre whom they should provide with what type of security cover.
"It is not in my hands to refuse it either as the security cover is not provided to an individual called Nitish Kumar but the Chief Minister of Bihar, based on inputs provided by the state government."
Kumar termed as "ridiculous" the talk about his impending retirement in the aftermath of allotment of a government bungalow to him in New Delhi.
"A fuss has been made over my being allotted a bungalow in New Delhi by suggesting I have planned my retirement and the BJP government at the Centre has made arrangements for it. People making such ridiculous statements do not even have basic knowledge of rules and regulations," he said.
The chief minister said he was likely to visit Japan later this month and necessary formalities were being completed by the Ministry of External Affairs.
He said his visit would help boost the food processing, textile and infrastructure sectors.
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