Nitish Kumar

Patna, Oct. 30: Time magazine’s November issue is yet to hit the stands in the state capital but one of its reports has already invited the Opposition’s ire.

The magazine’s cover under the section India carries a story titled “How one man cleaned up its dirtiest state”. Inside the magazine, the report reads — How Nitish Kumar Turned Bihar into a Model of Indian Reform.

The magazine, which will be available in Patna in the next two to three days, has praised Nitish’s regime and his weekly janata darbar held at 1 Aney Marg every Monday. The praise, however, has not gone down well with the Opposition which claims the chief minister has manipulated the report. “He (Nitish) is a big manipulator when it comes to managing the media in Bihar. There is no doubt that he has done the same with the international media. Nitish’s agents are located at all the places and they have been given the task to manage such thing so that his name is highlighted in renowned media houses,” alleged RJD general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Ramkripal Yadav.

The report has been published in the Europe, Asia and South Pacific editions of the magazine. It talks about how Nitish has led the state on the path of development and praises the fasttrack courts, which have sent over 60,000 criminals behind the bars.

The Opposition, however, claimed the report is one-sided and does not present a clear picture of Bihar.

Ramkripal said: “Who said that before Nitish Kumar regime, Bihar was the dirtiest state? It is during his leadership that the state has seen the worst governance as the level of corruption has gone up and the state is facing financial crisis. The education system has deteriorated in government schools where English is being taught by teachers who cannot write their names in English.”

The magazine report talks about how the Nitish government has built over 33,000km roads in the past five years and has maintained an average 11 per cent growth rate since 2006.

It also talks about his idea of distributing free bicycles to girl students of Class IX and above and making the assets of minister, bureaucrats, including himself, public.

The report has been welcomed by the ruling alliance in the state which feels it is the true representation of Nitish’s efforts.

JD(U) MLC and party spokesman Sanjay Singh said: “It’s a great moment for the people of Bihar that after The Economist, Newsweek and The New York Times now the renowned Time magazine has praised our chief minister. It’s the result of his hard work and his dedication towards the state that he is becoming famous all over world. Even during the meeting of National Development Council (NDC) in New Delhi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh made a special mention of his name while delivering his speech.”

State food and consumer protection minister Shyam Rajak slammed the Opposition for criticising the chief minister and said: “Who else knows better than me about the condition of the state during the regime of Lalu Prasad who exploited the state for 15 years. It is the good governance and leadership of Nitish Kumar which has brought back the lost glory of the state.”