BJP general secretary Rajiv Pratap Rudy has cautioned Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar against falling into any trap by believing that the UPA Government will accord special status to the State.
Rudy’s comments followed soon after Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram’s announcement that a sub-committee would be formed to revisit the criteria fixed for declaring a State backward.
The BJP leader told newspersons in Patna on Sunday that nobody should have the impression that the UPA Government will ever accord special category to the State.
It is not a new demand as Bihar Government has been demanding special status for the State for the nearly last eight years, he added.
“It is absolutely a general administrative and political process to accord special status to Bihar and hence nobody should try to derive much from any exercise,” he added.
“But it is also a fact that the UPA Government is only trying to create a false impression that it is very serious about according special category,” Rudy said.
Without naming Nitish , he commented, “Instead of believing in hollow promises of the UPA Government, one should strengthen the NDA”.
He also claimed that only the NDA Government can accord special status to Bihar.
Rudy, however, did not find anything wrong in Nitish’s consistent attempts for the special status for Bihar by observing that it is the duty of any Government to work hard for the speedy growth of a State.
Striking almost a discordant note, State JD(U) president Vashishtha Narayan Singh told The Pioneer that P Chidambaram’s announcement has a special significance in the backdrop of the fact that he promised to constitute a sub-committee for the purpose of revisiting the criteria fixed for the special status while he was on a visit in Patna.
He said that it is not a demand of Bihar Government alone but it symbolises aspirations of all Biharis and Union Finance Minister has conceded the demand of State Government for reviewing parameters for the backwardness after a long struggle.
Singh said that the JD(U) organised two “Adhikar Rallies” in Patna and New Delhi on November 4 last year and March 17 to create pressure on the UPA Government for the purpose.
P ChidambaramRss announcement should be construed as an exercise in the positive direction and one should understand that at least the process for according special status to Bihar has begun.
He also contended that the matter should not be politicised at any stage as it will harm the interest of the State.
The issue has now emerged as a national agenda and now the interest of backward States could not be ignored by any Government.