Nitish Kumar calls Bihar bandh on Mar 2 to protest Centre's 'betrayal'

PATNA: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today gave a call for a statewide bandh on March 2, terming as "betrayal" the UPA government's decision to grant special category status to Seemandhra while "ignoring" a similar demand made by his government.

Kumar had at first called the strike on March 1 but later decided to defer it by a day to March two considering the examinations in the state on March one, Kumar told PTI here.

Launching an attack on the Congress-led UPA government for according special category status to Seemandhra after creation of Telangana while "ignoring" Bihar's plea, he told reporters "this is betrayal of Bihar and other backward states.

"UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi advocated the special category status to Seemandhra and it was promised by the Prime Minister overnight ... But a similar legitimate demand of Bihar is lying in cold storage," Kumar said.

"We have no problem with Seemandhra getting special category status as well as a package but the same has been denied to Bihar despite a favourable recommendation by the Raghuram Rajan committee report," he said.

The chief minister appealed to all political parties and the people to observe the bandh to protest the UPA government's 'betrayal'.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi said his party has called 'rail roko' on February 28 to protest the Centre's 'discriminatory' approach toward the state.

The BJP leader accused Kumar of weakening the fight for the state's special category status by 'hijacking' the issue and making it JD(U)'s political weapon.

Asked if BJP would participate in the bandh called by Kumar, Modi said the chief minister had announced it without consulting all political parties.