Nitish Kumar to lead protest against BJP's 'injustice' and 'betrayal' on special status

PATNA: Senior JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar will lead a protest on October 20 against BJP's "injustice" and "betrayal" over providing special category status to the state as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during poll.

"On October 20 people of Bihar in protests organised by JD(U) at every district headquarter will seek 'hisab' (account) from the BJP government," Kumar said on his facebook account.

"People of the state will take them to task for injustice and betrayal over providing special category status to the state," Kumar said.

Party spokesman Sanjay Singh said in a statement that Kumar would sit under the statue of Loknayak Jaiprakash Narayan near Gandhi maidan on October 20 as part of the agitation.

Another JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan said that party workers and people would sit on dharna at every district headquarters on Monday and submit a memorandum against the Centre's denying special category status to Bihar, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised in his campaign during the general election.

Party leaders have been mobilising support across the state for the agitation, Ranjan said.

Nitish Kumar, former Chief Minister of Bihar, at a public meeting at Aurangabad yesterday had said that during Parliamentary poll Narendra Modi promised to the people of the state that providing special category status, special assistance and special attention for betterment of Bihar would be his priority.

"Four months have lapsed but no such priority is visible on the three counts," Kumar said.

The former chief minister, who stepped down from the chair after drubbing in Lok Sabha election, said through strong protest a strong message should reach to every citizen of the state so that no party or leader could dare to play "fraud" with the people.

JD(U) has made it clear that special category status would be its central agenda in the crucial Assembly election next year.

Kumar during his CM tenure also had made a strong pitch for winning special category status for Bihar. Massive rally was organised in Patna as well in Delhi in support of special category status under leadership of Kumar.