Nitish Kumar continues tirade against Congress, RJD and BJP

BANKA: Continuing his tirade, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today again blamed Congress for the Bhagalpur riots and RJD, with which an alliance was expected, for saving the perpetrators.

"The Bhagalpur riots in 1989 took place during the Congress regime and it cannot be absolved of it," Kumar told a JD(U) 'Sankalp rally' in Banka district.

Reacting to Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi's comments, Kumar had yesterday held the Congress responsible for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and 1989 Bhagalpur riots and the BJP for the 2002 riots in Gujarat.

Kumar said that when his government came to power in Bihar it reopened many Bhagalpur riot cases in which those accused were freed and ordered reinvestigation.

"My government announced life-long pension of Rs 2,500 for victims of the Bhagalpur riots. It has been doubled to Rs 5,000 per month," he said.

He blamed the RJD, which succeeded the Congress in the state, for trying to save the perpetrators and reminded the people of days when it was impossible to venture out of home after sunset.

Kumar, who is the driving force of the JD(U), asked the people to teach a lesson to the Congress, RJD, LJP and NCP.

Hitting out at former ally BJP apparently for choosing Narendra Modi as it Prime Ministerial candidate, he said "they are playing a gamble, but will never succeed."

He reiterated that what happened in Gujarat in 2002 could neither be forgotten nor forgiven.

Kumar also spoke on special category status for Bihar and appealed to the people to give his party the numbers in the Lok Sabha elections so that no government at the Centre dared to turn down the demand.

He administered three oaths to the people to stop communal forces, intensify the fight for special status and for sending their children, both boys and girls, to school.