Kushwaha breaks fast-unto-death at the instance of grand alliance

Patna, Nov.30 (HS): RLSP chief and former Union minister of state Upendra Kushwaha broke his fast-unto-death on the fifth day of his protest following pressure from the senior leaders of the grand alliance and on stern advise of the doctors at Patna Medical College & Hospital (PMCH) on Saturday.

Earlier the grand alliance leaders had repeatedly asked him to break the fast in the interest of his health. Kushwaha said he was not in a mood to break the fast but asserted to continue his fight.

The fast unto death by Kushwaha and his critical condition helped to restore the unity in the grand alliance in Bihar which had been adversely affected to the extent of breakup during the by-election to some assembly seats in September.

Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav held a press conference on Saturday with the leaders of other allies and declared that the grand alliance leaders had urged Kushwaha to break his fast unto death keeping in view in his health condition. Kushwaha is on this spell since Tuesday demanding that the state government should facilitate the opening of Kendriya Vidyalaya at Nawada and Aurangabad.

Kushwaha had served as junior central minister in the HRD ministry before quitting NDA before the last general election. After quitting NDA he joined the grand alliance but failed to open account in Lok Sabha polls.

Calling Kushwaha’s demand justified, Yadav said, “We requested Kushwaha to break his fast. We have to fight this egoist government so we have to keep our health in good condition.” Yadav at the presser was flanked by senior leader Sharad Yadav and Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni and others. Kushwaha before sitting on fast had accused Bihar government of creating hurdles in opening of the Kendriya Vidyalay.

He claimed that at Aurangabad an individual had agreed to give land for the school but the government has creating obstacles. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar sounded totally against the opening of Kendriya Vidyalaya in Bihar and said as a policy decision his government had made it clear in 2007-08 that the government would not give land for these schools where the wards of only central government employees get admission. Each Vidyalya requires five acres of land.

Nitish declared, “My government is not going to give land for Kendriya Vidyalaya as a matter of policy. We gain nothing from opening of such schools. Instead we are opening schools in villages and panchayats on less than one acre of land. We are concerned for poor children not the privileged ones. If the Centre is interested it can acquire land on its own for opening Kendriya Vidyalayas in but we are not going to give land for this purpose.”

Kushwaha’s fast unto death soon became a political issue with opposition backing the RLSP chief while ruling alliance called it a political stunt. Education minister Krishna Nandan Prasad Verma said the agitation was uncalled for and unjustified. The education department also cancelled the license to Kushwaha for siting on dharna at Government Miller high school ground.

Verma said school is not the right place to sit on dharna so the license granted to Kushwaha which had been taken in the name of other purpose.  The administration lifted kushwaha on Thursday when his condition turned critical and forcibly got him admitted in the hospital. He was visited there by Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar RJD president Jagdanand Singh, VIP leader Sahni and others while Kushwaha’s supporters staged protest outside the residence of education minister Verma.