Bihar CM Nitish Kumar smells conspiracy behind mid-day meal tragedy

PATNA: Smelling a conspiracy behind the mid-day meal tragedy in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has alleged that BJP and RJD had a "secret understanding" to derive political mileage from the incident.

"The Forensic Science Laboratory, which highlights the presence of pesticide in the mid-day meal, has confirmed our apprehensions about a conspiracy behind the tragedy at a school in Saran last week", he told a meeting of party MPs, MLAs and office-bearers yesterday as part of Mission 2014 Lok Sabha elections.

The Chief Minister charged "an understanding between BJP and RJD was very much visible both after Bodhgaya blasts and Chapra mid-day meal tragedy" as the two parties had called bandhs on the same after the two incidents, state JD(U) spokesman Rajeev Ranjan quoted him as saying.

"RJD and BJP had called bandh together on both the occasions and this confirms the secret understanding between them", Kumar said.

This was the first time that Kumar had spoken on the midday meal tragedy which claimed 23 lives.

He said he is apprehending that more such incidents will take place as part of the opposition's efforts to destabilize his government and asked the partymen to be prepared for it.

He alleged BJP was upset over losing power in Bihar the breakup of its coalition with JD(U) and the saffron party, along with RJD, "is busy fomenting instability against our government".

"They are testing my patience but I will not move away from the chosen path", Kumar said, adding "Bihar's mandate was for development and we shall continue to move ahead along that path",

Without naming the Lalu Prasad-led party, Bihar Education Minister P K Shahi hinted at the role of RJD in the Chapra incident, saying "the husband of the school principal is an active member of the party (RJD)".