Bihar, Jharkhand question states' move to bring back students

New Delhi: The Bihar and Jharkhand chief ministers have raised the issue of some states being allowed to bring back their students from Kota and some of their migrant workers. While Bihar CM Nitish Kumar made this point during the PM’s videoconference with chief ministers on Monday, his Jharkhand counterpart, Hemant Soren raised this issue in a letter to the PM. Both the CMs insisted there should be only one rule for the country on these issues.

Speaking during the meeting, Kumar is reported to have said: “When it is quite clear in the Emergency Act that no interstate or inter-district travel is allowed, still some states are bringing stranded students and migrant workers from other states.” “On the other hand, we are following the Centre’s directive . There should be one rule for all the states.” Nitish said migrant workers coming from other states should be medically examined and sought clear directions from the Centre regarding this.

A large number of workers from Bihar and Jharkhand work in the different parts of the country.


Soren, however, did not get a chance to speak at Monday’s meeting. He presented his views and demands through a letter addressed to the PM in which Soren clearly states that while his state was honouring the Centre’s directive, other states were violating it.

“By the home ministry order on April 15, inter-state travel is prohibited. Violating this would be a criminal offence as per the Disaster Management Act,” read the letter by Soren. “We are getting to know that some states are violating this order by the government. It can’t be validated by the fact that the states are doing it by mutually agreeing to it.”