E-Paper
BJP upset with curbs on movement of ministers
PATNA The Bihar government’s decision to restrain ministers from moving in their respective constituencies or the districts they have been assigned as the ministers in-charge during the lockdown period has not gone down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders
PATNA
The Bihar government’s decision to restrain ministers from moving in their respective constituencies or the districts they have been assigned as the ministers in-charge during the lockdown period has not gone down well with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders.
Several BJP ministers, who recently visited their respective constituencies and inspected medical facilities for treatment of Covid infected persons, have questioned the rationale behind banning movement of elected representatives during the crisis period.
On Monday, the cabinet secretariat department issued letters to the private secretaries of all the ministers, asking them to not visit their constituencies to inspect medical facilities or any scheme during the lockdown phase to check the spread of pandemic.
West Champaran MP and state BJP chief Sanjay Kumar Jaiswal, who is currently in his home town to supervise the drive to check spread of Covid and arrange proper medical facilities, said, “Ask the ministers and JD(U) national chief RCP Singh why such an order has been issued.”
“Just because the CM and JD(U) ministers are not moving does not mean BJP leaders should also not go out and help people tide over the crisis. UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath has toured over 50 districts during the lockdown to monitor medical facilities and relief operations,” said another BJP minister, wishing not to be quoted.
Another BJP minister said they would lodge a complaint regarding the curbs at an appropriate party platform. “Since we are in the ruling alliance, the coalition dharma does not allow us to make our grievances public,” said the minister.
Congress MLC and All India Congress Committee (AICC) media panellist Prem Chandra Mishra said everything was not well in the ruling coalition. “How could the ministers be the cause for spread of pandemic? Are officers immune to the pandemic? Why the ruling party leaders asking about physical presence of opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav if the government has banned activities of its ministers,” he said.
