Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday met a gathering of writers, journalists and other intellectuals to discuss the current political scenario in the country and how to fight back the crisis staring the intellectual world.
The group was led by prominent Hindi writer, a former bureaucrat and former head of lalit Kala Academy, Ashok Vajpayee. Another Hindi writer Manglesh Dabral was also present at the meeting with the Bihar CM. Both Vajpayee and Dabral had returned their Sahitya Academy Awards in protest against the killing of writers, rising political intolerance in the country, and the NDA Government’s failure to put a check on these.
Some of the people who met the Bihar CM said the discussions largely focused on the prevailing political situation where the intellectuals are feeling suffocated. They also discussed the present education system, dissents in campus and issue pertaining to students and teachers.
“It was decided that JD(U) will back the intellectuals, and support their cause for a just and tolerant political atmosphere,” said senior JD(U) leader KC Tyagi, at whose residence the meeting took place. Tyagi added that the ‘reach- out’ meeting with the intellectuals was a step in the direction of Kumar’s ‘Sangh-mukt Bharat’ campaign.
Sources said Kumar also sought suggestions from the group on how to revive Bihar’s cultural and intellectual centres. “He (Nitish) wanted to the intellectuals to play a role in this rejuvenation and give him ideas,” said Vajpayee. Nitish Kumar during his previous term as the Bihar CM had started some cultural and academic events in the State.