Modi's Bihar package a farce, says Nitish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday termed the special financial package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a complete farce.

The Janata Dal (United) strongman cited facts and figures at a hurriedly-convened press conference where he gave the examples of ongoing projects and approved schemes which were included in the Rs 1,25,000-crore package announced by Modi on August 18 in Ara.

“It’s not only complete farce but is an exercise in futility as the package is merely a repackaging (after adding figures from different ministries) where the approved projects have been included to make it look a huge quantum of amount sanctioned,” said Nitish and quoted the communication between the Union Finance Ministry and the Bihar Chief Secretary to buttress his point.

“Out of total Rs 1,25,000 crore announced, Rs 1,08,000 crore worth projects are already existing or have been approved. Only Rs 10,368 crore is the incremental change. There is, however, no clarity on the remaining Rs 6000 crore,” Nitish quoted figures to fire one salvo after another at Modi for “misrepresenting” facts.

“Mr Prime Minister, this time your jugglery of figures won’t work as you cannot befool the people of Bihar, a state which has produced mathematician Aryabhata (who gave the concept of zero),” said Nitish.