JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar gets red carpet welcome in Bihar

PATNA: Nitish Kumar government in Bihar today rolled out the red carpet for JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar who is on his first visit to his home state after release from jail on charge of sedition.

Kanhaiya was escorted by the policemen at the airport on his arrival from New Delhi and the JNUSU president moved with a convoy of security personnel in the capital.

Kanhaiya hails from Begusarai district of Bihar.

He is on a two-day tour of his home state and met both Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav.

The two leaders had supported him when he was sent to Tihar jail on sedition charge and the JNUSU president met them at their residences.

The high-profile welcome to JNUSU president triggered reaction from political parties.

Questioning the welcome accorded by the Nitish Kumar government to a person charged with sedition, opposition BJP said it was a day of shame for the state.

Defending the welcome, state minister and Bihar PCC president Ashok Choudhary said Kanhaiya was a native of the state and since he was attacked earlier in Delhi and elsewhere it was proper to provide him fulproof security to avoid any such recurrence.

His party colleague and minister Madan Jha also echoed similar views.

JD(U) spokesman Neeraj Kumar cited attack on Kanhaiya in Patiala court for the security cover provided to him.

Later, the JNUSU president attacked the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for growing intolerance in the country.

"Intolerance has increased in the country in the past two years under BJP government."

On total ban on liquor in Bihar, he said ideally it would have been left to individual freedom whether to drink or not.

"But in larger context considering domestic violence due to alcohol in households in a state like Bihar ban is right."