Ss Bhandari To Report On Bihar Situation

Bihar Governor Sunder Singh Bhandari said yesterday that he would undertake an intensive study of the prevailing situation in the state and submit a report to the Centre soon.

I will intensively study the situation as also the controversial subjects concerning the state and apprise the Centre of it shortly, Bhandari told reporters after being sworn-in as Governor.

Bhandari, who arrived here from New Delhi this morning was administered oath of office and secrecy by the Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, B M Lal, at a simple function at Darbar Hall of the Raj Bhavan.

Chief minister Rabri Devi, Rashtriya Janata Dal president Laloo Prasad Yadav, Opposition leader Sushil Kumar Modi, ministers and several BJP legislators also attended the ceremony.

 

Referring to the Central Bureau of Investigations request for prosecuting Laloo Prasad Yadav and some other politicians in a conspiracy angle case of the fodder scam, Bhandari said, I will go into it and take a decision soon. The CBI is awaiting gubernatorial nod for prosecuting Yadav and a few others in the case for over six months now. The case relates to fraudulent withdrawals of over Rs 97 lakh from Deoghar treasury by the officials of the state animal husbandry department.

Bhandari, however, expressed his inability to give a specific time frame for taking a decision on the CBIs request for prosecuting the former Chief Minister in the case.

Stating that he was not in favour of scrapping Article 356 of the Constitution, he said, appropriate action will be taken to resolve the problems facing the state.

Bhandari said he would work towards all-round development of Bihar and protect talents.

On the appointments made by his predecessor in different universities in the state and the alleged irregularities in Raj Bhavan, Bhandari said, I dont have any knowledge of such things. But if necessary, appointments in universities will be reviewed and remedial measures will follow.

Bhandari replaced A R Kidwai who was shifted to West Bengal through a presidential order last week.