Nitish Kumar calls KCR responsible leader

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar heaped praises on Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao saying he is the only leader in the country who fought for a separate State, achieved it and is developing it into a progressive one.

Hyderabad: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar heaped praises on Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao saying he is the only leader in the country who fought for a separate State, achieved it and is developing it into a progressive one.

He termed his Telangana counterpart as a responsible leader and lauded the progress that the State made under Chandrashekhar Rao’s leadership. “Some people are only interested in propaganda and criticising you. Your adversaries speak a lot against you. Little do they realise what stuff you are made of. You were the one whose single-minded struggle led to the creation of Telangana after a prolonged movement. We all have been witness to it, but I wonder how and what some people keep saying something against you. You deservedly became the Telangana Chief Minister. The people will never desert you,” Nitish said.

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Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday visited Patna for a day-long tour. Along with Nitish and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, he distributed cheques towards financial assistance to the families of the soldiers who died in Galwan valley and Bihar workers who lost their lives in a fire mishap in Secunderabad.

Cheques of Rs 5 lakh each were given to families of 12 Bihar workers, who died in the recent fire mishap at the Secunderabad timber depot. Similarly, cash cheques of Rs 10 lakh each were given to the soldiers’ families.

Nitish praised Chandrashekhar Rao’s concern for the bereaved families of the Galwan soldiers and Bihar workers. “Your gesture of paying ex gratia to the deceased soldiers is exemplary. They neither belong to your State nor did they die in your State. But you came forward to help them as a responsible leader. It is truly magnanimous,” he said.

Lauded the progress that Telangana has made under Chandrashekhar Rao’s leadership, he termed Mission Bhagiratha as commendable and said rural development in the State was an inspiration to all. He said before Bihar embarked on a scheme to take Ganga water to four places, the government had sent a team to Telangana.

He lashed out at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and criticised its excessive publicity, besides its alleged lack of sensitivity towards the needs of the States. He expressed anguish over its stout refusal to accept his plea for giving special category status to Bihar. “The old times were different as Atal ji (Atal Bihari Vajpayee) used to treat others with respect. Now, there is no work being done, only excessive publicity,” Nitish said.

He said all States were suffering under the current dispensation. Upon his arrival at the Jayaprakash Narayan Airport in Patna by a special flight, Chandrashekhar Rao was welcomed by his fans at every major junction with flexi banners. At the Bihar Chief Minister’s office, Nitish and Tejashwi extended a warm welcome to him.

Speaking after paying homage to the martyred soldiers and handing over the cheques, Chandrashekhar Rao said every Indian will support the families of soldiers who are safeguarding the nation’s borders. “We can’t bring back the martyrs. We want to help their families and give a message to the soldiers guarding the country’s borders that the nation stands with them,” he said.

Terming the Bihar workers as growth partners of Telangana, the youngest State of India, the Chief Minister said the Telangana government had special respect for them and wanted to share their grief and pain. “Hence, the Telangana government has announced financial assistance to those who died in an accident in Secunderabad. I heartfully thank Nitish Kumar ji and Tejashwi Yadav for their cooperation in extending financial support to the families,” he said.

During the Covid-19 crisis, when the Centre failed to arrange transportation to send Bihar workers back to their native place, the Telangana government arranged over 150 special trains for them, he said. “I came from the land of Godavari to the land of Ganga. Both rivers were the birthplaces of great civilisations.

Whenever any revolution started from Bihar, it brought peace to the country. Bihar is a sacred land which is home to the historic Nalanda University that enhanced the nation’s image in the world from the 5th to 13th century. I am happy to visit such a land,” he said.

Chandrashekhar Rao was accompanied by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Rythu Bandhu Samiti president MLC Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLC S Madhusudana Chary, TRS general secretary Shravan Kumar Reddy, former Karimnagar Mayor Ravinder Singh, leaders of National Farmers Unions and others.