Published 17:48 IST, April 26th 2020
Tej Pratap flouts lockdown to perform 'Sadbuddhi Mahayagna' for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
former Bihar health minister Tej Pratap Yadav on Sunday conducted a 'Sadbuddhi Mahayagna' in Patna to urge CM Nitish Kumar to bring back students and labourers
Defying lockdown orders for a bizarre ritual, former Bihar health minister and son of former Bihar CM Lalu Yadav -Tej Pratap, on Sunday conducted a 'Sadbuddhi Mahayagna' in Patna. The reason for the 'Yagna' was to urge CM Nitish Kumar to bring back the students and labourers of the state, stuck in other states amid lockdown. Visuals of the ritual show Tej Pratap and 5-6 other sitting in close proximity to each other around a 'havan kund' donned in hairnets and masks.
Tej Pratap performs 'Sadbuddhi Mahayagya'
Tejashwi asks permission to get students back
Meanwhile, his brother and former Bihar deputy CM Yejashwi Yadav has sought permission to transport the student himself. He lashed out tweeting, " Bihar government cares for the selected and important people and if they are unable to bring back to Bihar more than 6500 students with humble background stranded in Kota, then we should be granted permission to get them back. In this hour of crisis, we cannot leave those children in Kota, who are the future of Bihar."
Nitish Kumar seals Bihar
CM Nitish Kumar and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi have firmly maintained that students and labourers from Bihar must stay where they are as bringing them back via buses, will 'flout the principles of lockdown'. The govt has spoken to the Centre and several state CMs to provide shelter to the migrant labourers. The state has also transferred Rs 1000 to 9 lakh migrant labourers and has opposed Uttar Pradesh's decision to transport 7000 UP students from Kota back home.
Reports state that around 8000 Bihari students are currently stuck in Kota, as the state government has refused to transport them back home. Moreover, states like Assam, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh have already ferried thousands of students back home via buses, while Maharashtra has sought Rajasthan's permission to ferry back their students.
Bihar's COVID battle
Bihar has only reported 243 COVID cases, only 43 have recovered till date and 2 have died. Reports state that testing in the state is very low and district administrations have currently surveyed 4,28,741 households for the disease. Apart from Coronavirus, the state is also witnessing a bout of acute encephalitis syndrome hitting infants. The opposition has hit out at Nitish Kumar calling him helpless for his refusal to ferry back migrants and students.
Updated 17:48 IST, April 26th 2020