Defending the Bihar School Examination Board (BSEB) and education department in the context of the second consecutive merit scam, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said the strict measures to check unfair practices yielded good results and the pass percentage went down to 35 per cent in the recently declared results of the intermediate exam. Referring to the episode of Ganesh Kumar, who topped, but committed fraud in lowering his age, he said this irregularity was exposed by the officials.
The CM also announced to take action against schools from where not a single student was passed and said a comprehensive view would be taken regarding the kind of education imparted there and the infrastructure they have. He was reacting to the reports in a section of the Press that all the teachers of such schools would be dismissed.
He admitted to scam in the results of the Class XII exam last year but claimed no such irregularity was committed this year. “We are working hard for reforms in the education sector. There are challenges and I take them as opportunity,” said the CM and asked, “Show me one place where perfectly ideal arrangements have been made.” The CM said anybody found involved in wrongdoings and corrupt practices would not be spared.
Nitish, who was speaking to media after a long time on Monday, also spoke on issues ranging from three years of the Narendra Modi Government to Kashmir to gau rakshaks.
He came down heavily on the gau rakshaks and the restriction on cattle trade and said the cattle straying on roads should be protected and served by the BJP people in goshalas before a ban on cattle trade.
The CM disclosed that on experimental basis he asked Patna DM to identify places for keeping the stray animals and protect them from dangers of accident as well as plastic chewing. He said this problem was more chronic in UP but the cow vigilantees and BJP men were least bothered about it.
Sometime ago RJD chief lalu Prasad had asked his party workers to tie stray and aging cows and buffaloes at the door of the BJP leaders for their better upkeep.
On three years of the BJP led Central Government, Nitish said before the election, their main promise was to create job opportunities and help farmers with minimum support price but nothing happened on these fronts.
To a query on UP CM Yogi Adityanath’s visit to Bihar and the two public meetings to tell people about the achievement of the Modi Government, Nitish said, “The central leadership of the BJP is sending leaders from outside which meant that it has no faith in its State leaders.” This reference was obvious towards Bihar top BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi who has a habit of issuing statement on daily basis against Nitish and his administration.
On Kashmir issue, Nitish said it was a sensitive issue and should be handled carefully. The Centre, he said, should take all political parties by confidence and take whatever necessary action it deems fit. The CM said the Centre should also try for consensus on the President candidate and if fails to do so, the Opposition have the right to pick up their own candidate.