Patna: Chief minister Nitish Kumar has "rescheduled" his Samiksha Yatra, giving the Opposition enough fodder for speculation.
In the second phase of the yatra, scheduled from December 20 to 22, chief minister Nitish Kumar was to cover Banka, Bhagalpur, Purnea. Araria, Kishanganj and Katihar districts. But a government press note issued on Thursday declared that the second phase has been postponed because of Prakash Utsav in Patna. The first phase, which concludes on December 16, will go ahead as per schedule.
"The concluding ceremony of Prakash Utsav was known for over a year," said a senior government official. "Either the officials overlooked this aspect while chalking out the programme or the chief minister does not want to continue his yatra for now." Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav mocked at the decision. "The chief minister is facing public resentment," Tejashwi said. "He is a chief minister of the people but prefers to be chief minister of officials and goes to villages dictated by officials." The former deputy chief minister said Nitish should have made a ground-level inspection of schemes under his Seven Resolves. "Not a brick is being laid because of shortage of sand. So what is the use of this yatra," Tejashwi asked.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has faced resentment from people at various stages of his yatra, including in West and East Champaran districts. Most of them are villager residents who resent being left out of the benefits of the Seven Resolves. JDU leaders suspect the protests may have been organised by local mukhiyas who have been denied any say in the schemes under the Seven Resolves.
In his speeches, Nitish assured people everyone will benefit from the scheme and said mukhiyas should work to ensure the schemes are implemented in a speedy manner.
There were intelligence inputs of the chief minister facing protests from contract teachers, political workers and other sections of society. But till now the protests have been small in number and size.
On Thursday, Nitish Visited Bakhri village in Sitamarhi district and reviewed work done under seven resolve there. He also laid the foundation stone for work to the tune of Rs 430 crore. Addressing a meeting, he said he had visited 19 villages across the state during his 2009 Vikas Yatra and would revisit those villages during the going Samiksha Yatra too. He also spoke on prohibition, child marriage and dowry and appealed to the people to participate in a human chain for the same on January 21.
