BJP questions Nitish over decision to impose night curfew in Bihar

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is drawing huge flak for imposing night curfew in Bihar in view of the surge in Covid-19 cases. But the biggest criticism has come from unexpected quarters — the ruling alliance partner, BJP.

The BJP has questioned the utility of night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am. “....I am not a specialist. But I have failed to understand the decision of Nitish Kumar regime that imposing curfew will help to check the spread of coronavirus...If Covid-19 has to be checked, then it is important to impose complete lockdown from Friday evening to Monday morning,” said Bihar BJP president and Lok Sabha member from Bettiah, Dr Sanjay Jaiswal in his social media post in Hindi.

An MBBS doctor, Jaiswal has suggested that Bihar should have emulated the Maharashtra model and imposed a 60-hour lockdown. “Although Bihar situation is quite different from Maharashtra, still I would suggest that if curfew for at least two days a week is not imposed, then Bihar would go Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh way,” said Jaiswal, who, last year too, was highly critical of Nitish and the way he handled the migrant issue during April-May 2020.

Nitish was also slammed by Congress for the night curfew decision. “Unlike Maharashtra, Bihar does not have a nightlife here. Usually, people remain indoors after 9 pm. So what purpose would be served by imposing a night curfew from 9 pm to 5 am,” wondered Congress Legislature Party leader in the Assembly, Ajit Sharma.

The Congress sentiments were echoed by RJD, too. “Unlike Delhi and Mumbai, people don’t venture out of their house in Bihar during night hours. So, what purpose would a night curfew serve? The best way out was imposing a weekend lockdown,” opined RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwary.