The JD(U) is likely to review its stand on the demonetisation on January 23 when the party’s core committee will meet here after a meeting of the grand alliance parties.
Although Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not say that the two meetings would discuss demonetisation issue his comments came when asked about his own statement that after 50 days of the promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi the JD(U) would review the issue.
“We will set the agenda and discuss the various issues. Right now our party is busy to make longest human chain in support of liquor ban on January 21. But we will sit on January 23 at the core committee meeting,” said Nitish. He refused to say that demonetisation might be one of the issues.
The CM had unequivocally supported the demonetisation soon after the PM announced it on November 8. He repeatedly said that this move would help curb corruption and black money but also demanded strike against the ‘benami’ wealth. But he time and again criticised the way the note ban was implemented “without proper arrangements.”
Saying that his focus was on the ongoing Kalchakra Puja, being conducted by the Dalai lama at Bodh Gaya, which the CM would attend on January 14 and the formation of human chain across Bihar on January 21, Nitish urged all the political parties in people in general to participate in the human chain in support of prohibition. After that for two months Statewide prohibition programmes would be held till March 22.
“Our stress is the widespread anti-liquor campaign and our request is that it should be implemented across the country. “The PM has lauded our campaign and it is also enforce in Gujarat since long,” he added while referring to Modi’s praise for prohibition in Bihar.
Nitish said the human chain would be as long as 11,000 km plus including 3,000 km on highways. “This will be a world record,” he added.
Steering clear of the controversy over the seating arrangements at the Prakash Utsav celebrations at Gandhi Maidan on January 5, which was also attended by the PM, Nitish said the programme was organised by the Sikh’s top body. Some RJD leaders had objected that their supremo lalu Prasad was not given space on the dais and he sat on the ground.
The CM said, “I don’t take notice of what some people said but lalu ji himself liked to sit on ground and he has no complains. In such religious programmes people sit on ground. Some people of Bihar attempt to sully the image of Bihar and take pleasure in their vested interest. But the fact remains that lakhs of people who visited Patna during Praksh Utsav were very pleased and praised our arrangements.”