PM’s remarks far from truth, says Nitish Kumar

PATNA - A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh accused Bihar of not implementing centrally-funded government schemes, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Sunday hit out and said he was “surprised” by the remarks which were “far from the truth”.

“Manmohan Singh’s remarks about the Bihar government surprised me. They are far from the truth. (Manmohan) Singh should not do such things,” Nitish Kumar said at a press conference in the company of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Jaitely here.

This was the first press meet organised by Nitish Kumar with the BJP since the campaigning for the October-November assembly polls began in the state.

Manmohan Singh Saturday told an election rally in Araria district that due to the neglect and apathy of the Bihar government, centrally-funded welfare and development schemes failed in the state as the benefit hardly reached the common man.

Nitish Kumar also refuted prime minister’s statement that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) provided a special package of Rs.1,000 crore each year to Bihar for development needs.

“It was not a special package and the fund of Rs.1,000 crore to Bihar was started in 2002 by the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government, Bihar is not getting it from 2004 as the PM claimed,” Nitish Kumar said.

Charging the prime minister with misleading people by presenting wrong facts and figures, Nitish Kumar said Bihar has not received any special package till date.

Jaitley defended Nitish Kumar, saying that development took place in Bihar over the last five years. “Bihar developed during the NDA government led by Nitish Kumar,” he said.

Bihar goes to polls in five phases Oct 21-Nov 20 to elect a 243-seat assembly.