The Opposition BJP today questioned Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's "waking from slumber" seven days after the Intermediate exam muddle and alleged "political patronage" to state exam board chairman and head of the Vaishali college.
"Seven days after the Intermediate exam controversy surfaced, the Chief Minster woke from his slumber yesterday and directed registration of case in the 10+2 exam irregularities, which have sullied the image of Bihar across the country," state BJP Parliamentary Board chief Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters here.
"The education department constituted a committee to probe the irregularities, while Bihar School Examination Board formed a judicial committee on the issue without knowledge of the government before the CM intervened yesterday and disbanded both committees and ordered registration of FIR," Sushil Modi said after his weekly 'Janata Darbar'.
The senior BJP leader alleged "political patronage" to BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh and head of Bishun Rai college in Vaishali from where Arts topper Ruby Rai and Science topper Saurabh Shrestha hailed from.
"Even a child knows that the head of Bishun Rai college Bachha Rai worked more than Lalu Prasad for victory of his two sons Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav in the recent Assembly polls from Roghopur and Mahua respectively in Vaishali district," Sushil alleged.
"BSEB chairman Lalkeshwar Prasad Singh is the husband of a former JD(U) MLA and enjoys considerable support of the ruling JD(U)," he said.
"Is it possible that the BSEB could not even open the envelop in which a committee headed by Hassan Waris had submitted report on the Bishun Rai college malpractices in the same exam last year," Sushil said to buttress his allegation of political support to the BSEB chairman.
The BJP leader also questioned whether the BSEB decision to cancel results of Science topper Saurabh Shrestha and third topper in Science stream Rahul Kumar after finding the two not up to mark in a written re-test and interview on Friday last would stand legal scrutiny.
"If the students go to court to challenge the board decision, will it be able to legally defend itself for cancelling the results on the basis of a re-test and interview ... the BSEB has only provision of re-totalling of marks and not revaluation," he said though clarifying he did not support the performance of the dubious science toppers.
Sushil Modi also criticised Nitish Kumar's order to do away with holding examination for students at class IX for their promotion.
"For three months, the state board has been postponing dates of class IX exam before the CM ordered to do away with it... why the waste of three months of more than 17 lakh students?" he asked.
"Academic session in Bihar starts from April 1. Who is responsible for playing with the career of these students who could have studied for class X for three months if the state government had decided to do away with the exam at class IX level initially itself?" Sushil Modi said expressing fear that the Nitish Kumar government was planning to do away with pre and post matriculation scholarship for students.
"We have authentic information that the state government is planning to close scholarships to students before and after matriculation results," the BJP leader alleged, attributing it to the financial crisis the state government was witnessing after loosing around Rs 5,000 crore annually due to imposition of prohibition since April.
Sushil Modi said his party would hit the streets if the scholarship was ended by the state government.
The BJP leader criticised the appointment of election strategist Prashant Kishor as Advisor for implementation of CM's "seven resolves", equivalent to the rank of a cabinet minister.
"Why does not Prashant Kishor make his assets public like others?" Sushil Modi asked.
He also attacked the grand alliance government over recent kidnapping of a Nepal-based businessman Suresh Kedia and murder of a trader Sushil Kumar Varshney in Hajipur yesterday, which he alleged reflected the condition of law and order in the state.
"Presenting figures to dismiss rise in crime in the state will not fill citizen's stomachs. People are living in fear in the state since the present government came into power," he alleged.
In reply to a question that the Chief Minister has criticised the opposition for tarnishing the image of the state by making "irresponsible" comments after some isolated incidents, Sushil Modi said "The opposition and media can't shun their responsibilities of highlighting the lacunae in discharge of service for citizens."
