Nitish sends out the first group of Haj pilgrims and criticizes the BJP in a roundabout way

Nitish Kumar, the chief minister of Bihar, has taken aim at the BJP subtly by raising issues with efforts to rewrite the nation’s independence movement’s past and sow social divisions.

The JD(U) leader flagged off the first group of state-sponsored Haj pilgrims this year while also reiterating his commitment to upholding Hindu-Muslim harmony on Tuesday.

“I have always upheld the spirit of fraternity ever since I had the chance to serve the state. Unfortunately, efforts are being made to incite conflict, Kumar stated late one evening at Patna’s Haj Bhavan.

Asserting that “I have never discriminated between Hindus and Muslims,” Bihar’s longest-serving chief minister warned the populace to “be on guard” against efforts to incite racial strife. It was something my father instilled in me from a young age: Muslims in this nation are really Indians. They did not travel from anywhere else.

He continued, “All kinds of things which go against the Constitution are being said nowadays,” in an apparent allusion to the saffron party. There are also efforts to alter this nation’s history, particularly that of the liberation movement. The septuagenarian severed relations with the BJP last year and vowed to unite opposition parties to defeat it in the Lok Sabha elections the following year.

Kumar also expressed happiness that the Haj pilgrimage had restarted and that “the number of pilgrims who will go from Bihar is going to be the highest ever.” This journey had been interrupted for a few years because to the worldwide COVID-19 epidemic.

The chief minister said that a total of 5,638 persons, including 2,399 women, will be making the journey this year.

Kumar, an engineer by background who adheres to Gandhi’s philosophy of simple life while being computer adept, also asked people to refrain from using their cell phones excessively.

“Avoid being enamored with your smartphones. This gadget has the appearance of something that wants to end the world. Even in religious rituals, individuals have used it. Please don’t rely on it to store crucial information. Maintain the practice of keeping backups on paper as well, he said.

The chief minister also said that 15 government representatives will be dispatched for the required coordination to the first group of pilgrims, who would board their aircraft for the trip overseas.

Tejashwi Yadav, the deputy chief minister, and Amir Subhani, the chief secretary, were among the senior officials present.