Nitish Sees off First Batch of Haj Pilgrims; Launches Indirect Attack on BJP

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has launched a veiled attack on the BJP, raising concerns about attempts to rewrite the history of the country’s freedom movement and creating a rift in the society.

Flagging off the first batch of Haj pilgrims from the state this year, the JD(U) leader on Tuesday also reaffirmed his commitment to uphold Hindu-Muslim unity.

“Ever since I got the opportunity to serve the state, I have always ensured a sense of brotherhood. Unfortunately, attempts are being made to create discord,” Kumar said at Haj Bhavan in Patna late evening.

Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister urged people to “beware” against attempts to trigger communal tension, “I have never discriminated between Hindus and Muslims. My father always taught me that The Muslims of this country are residents of India.” They haven’t come from anywhere.”

Pointing to the saffron party, he said, “All kinds of things that go against the Constitution are being said nowadays. Attempts are also being made to rewrite the history of this country, especially the history of the freedom struggle.” The 70-year-old broke ties with the BJP last year, uniting opposition parties to defeat it in the Lok Sabha elections next year. Took a resolution

Kumar also expressed happiness that the Haj pilgrimage, which was affected for a few years due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, has resumed and “the number of pilgrims going through Bihar is going to be the highest ever “.

The Chief Minister informed that a total of 5,638 people, including 2,399 women, would undertake the pilgrimage this year.

An engineer by training, Kumar, who is tech-savvy but swears by the Gandhian ideal of simple living, also urged people to avoid excessive use of mobile phones.

“Don’t get obsessed with your mobile phone. This device looks like something out there to destroy the world. People have been using it in religious works as well. Please don’t depend on it to store important data. Paper Get in the habit of maintaining backups even on fragments.

The Chief Minister also informed the first batch of pilgrims, who will board their flight for foreign travel, that 15 government officials are also being sent for necessary coordination.

Senior officials including Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and Chief Secretary Amir Subhani were present on the occasion.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI,