Opinion Bihar on the boil,conspiracy theory cooking
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might well have been flattered when the Bihar model of development came in for fresh praise recently from Nobel laureate Amartya Sen
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar might well have been flattered when the Bihar model of development came in for fresh praise recently from Nobel laureate Amartya Sen,who also gave it an edge over the Gujarat model. But ever since his party snapped its ties with the BJP,Kumars administrative touch seems to have taken a back seat and he appears trapped in trading political jibes.
While the state has been hit by two crises in quick succession the midday meal tragedy and the Bodhgaya blasts the governments handling of the school tragedy seems to lack political maturity. Kumar took six days to even make a statement,that too through party spokespersons,on the school tragedy that has made international headlines.
A SIT probe was ordered after seven days and during the first two or three days,no official could visit the village fearing public anger.
Meanwhile,Kumar and his Human Resource Development minister have blamed the tragedy on a political conspiracy,which clearly hurts the probe even though prima facie a pesticide is being held responsible for the poisoning. The government has also been silent about the alleged lapses in the treatment of the children. While Kumars government has claimed a rapid improvement in healthcare in the state,questions are being raised about a lack of ambulances,syringes and medicines and expertise to deal with poisoning at hospitals in Masrakah and Chhapra and why the children were not moved to Patna swiftly.
While the opposition has accused Kumar of being insensitive by not visiting the site of the tragedy,the CM could have at least met the children under treatment in Patna and tried to bring back the confidence of their parents in the school lunch scheme. Although Kumar has held several meetings and passed orders to fix the meal programme,HRD minister P K Shahi has done the government no good by saying it was impossible to monitor it.
Santosh is a Special Correspondent based in Patna
santosh.singh@expressindia.com
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