Nitish Kumar: Festive plans

Patna, March 14: The Nitish Kumar government has decided to celebrate Bihar Day on March 22 — the day on which the state was separated from Orissa in 1912.

The event will henceforth be organised every year on this day to celebrate the birth of the state.

“Many states celebrate the day when they came into existence. Bihar, too, will celebrate Bihar Day on March 22 to inculcate a sense of pride in belonging to the state,” the chief minister said.

The Bihar government has already declared March 22 as a public holiday and plans to organise various cultural programmes for three days. Those hailing from Bihar but living in Bangalore, Chennai, Calcutta and Mumbai, too, will be asked to celebrate the day in their respective places.

“Students of over 25,000 government schools across the state will take a pledge to make the state proud,” said state culture and sports secretary Vivek Singh, who is actively involved in the programme. Human resource department officials are currently drafting the pledge.

Singh said that the arts and culture department has been given the responsibility of organising cultural events and sports competition in the districts across the state to mark the day.

Bihar Day celebration is the brainchild of the chief minister who has been working for the Biharipan (Biharism) to replace the sentiment of casteism.

“It is always better to be known as a Bihari rather than identifying oneself with a caste,” Nitish Kumar told The Telegraph, hinting that his regime would promote a virtual “sub-nationalism” to counter the growing attack on Bihar students and migrant workers in Maharastra, Assam, Punjab and elsewhere.

Moreover, unlike Lalu Prasad, Nitish Kumar does not belong to a numerically dominant caste and he can ill-afford to play caste politics with as much panache as the RJD chief. So, working to inculcate the broader concept of Biharism to drive popular sentiment works better for Nitish in the long run instead of casteism.

“Since the JD(U)-led government has promoted inclusive politics and growth, Bihar residents are fast coming out of the trap of casteism,” Nitish said today.

RJD state president Abdul Bari Sidiqqui said his party was opposed to any attack on Bihar residents earning their living in other cities. “Any action that adds to the state's pride will be welcomed by my party, he said.”