Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar carried on with his Vikas Karyon ki Samiksha Yatra with visits to villages in Khagaria and Begusarai districts and asserted that the dowry system will be eradicated from society the day people become determined to remove them.
"Just saying that the dowry system is bad and we need to get rid of it won't do. There is a way. Do not attend any marriage in which dowry exchange is involved, even if it is of somebody very close to you. The day you all become determined about this, the dowry system will vanish from our society," Nitish said, while holding a public meeting at Gauchhari Katha village under Gogri block in Khagaria district.
The chief minister also inaugurated and laid foundation stones of 294 development projects worth Rs 236 crore and met local people of the village in Khagaria to know about the implementation of various welfare schemes, including his "seven resolves for a developed Bihar".
Addressing people in Khagaria, Nitish said he had asked energy department officials to establish an additional 33KV feeder in the district so that people could get electricity for 16 to 18 hours instead of 12-13 hours they get at present. He also pointed out that six power sub-stations are to be made in the district, out of which work on five had started.
Nitish appealed to the people to lend their hands to ensure the success of prohibition and the campaign against child marriage and dowry system. He asserted that he was a follower of Mahatma Gandhi, Ram Manohar Lohia and Jayaprakash Narayan, who believed in decentralised development. He also asked the people to take part in a human chain against child marriage and dowry on January 21.
From Khagaria, Nitish moved to Begusarai where he visited Barbighi village in Balia block and addressed a public meeting. But prior to his Begusarai visit, a clash between local people and police took place near Station Chowk on NH-31 under Balia police station.
Nitish inaugurated 86 projects worth Rs 56 crore at the Begusarai village and laid foundation stones for 376 projects worth Rs 265 crore. He said Bihar could set an example before the nation if it manages to remove social evils like dowry and child marriage.
