Patna: Deputy Chief Minister and senior JD(U) leader Vijay Kumar Choudhary stated on Saturday that even though the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is leading the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Bihar, it will not deviate from the governance path set by former Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during his two-decade tenure. He emphasized that there will be no compromise on communal harmony.
Zero tolerance on communalism
“Even if the BJP is providing leadership to the present NDA government, the new administration will continue to maintain zero tolerance on the issue of communalism, as was the practice under former CM Nitish Kumar,” Choudhary told reporters at the state JD(U) headquarters. He added that Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has repeatedly stated, both outside the state assembly and on its floor during the confidence vote, that his government will also follow the same path as that of former CM Nitish Kumar, with no compromise on communalism.
The Deputy CM further remarked that if the opposition attempts to “cause confusion among Muslim minority sections and provoke them in the name of a political party (referring to the BJP), it is unlikely to work in Bihar,” as minority communities have realized “who are the real protectors of their interests.”
Economic and social mainstreaming
Choudhary noted that during the pre-1990 period and from 1990 to 2005, no state government made efforts to improve the economic and social conditions of Muslim minority sections or bring them into the mainstream by increasing their purchasing power. “If at all, only the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government took steps to mainstream them through policy measures,” he said. He highlighted schemes such as Jeevika Didis, school uniforms for children, incentives for students, the CM Udyami Yojana, and fencing of graveyards as initiatives that have benefited both society and individuals.
The Deputy CM accused opposition parties of practicing “emotional exploitation” by stoking security fears. “The main issue is not just preventing violence against them, but also taking steps to mainstream them economically and socially,” he said. He added that opposition attempts to gain traction on issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and Special Intensive Revision (SIR) have failed.
