Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, along with his deputy, Sushil Kumar Modi, and his Cabinet colleagues, participated in an 18,034-km human chain in the State organised on Sunday to make people aware of climate change, prohibition and social ills such as dowry and child marriage.
Mr. Nitish Kumar, Mr. Modi and Rajendra Singh, known as the “waterman of India”, linked hands in Patna’s historic Gandhi Maidan from 11.30 a.m. to noon to mark the occasion. Senior government officials too were present in the ground from where the human chain branched out from four corners to other districts.
Teacher dead
However, the death of Mohammad Daud, a schoolteacher, while participating in the event at Keoti block in Darbhanga district, cast a shadow on the event.
State government officials, teachers, students, Anganwadi workers and Asha workers were asked to form the human chain to make it a “mega success.”
Later, expressing happiness over the successful completion of the campaign, the Chief Minister tweeted to thank the people of Bihar for their “unprecedented support” to make the human chain, in which 5,16,71,389 people participated, a milestone.
Leaders and workers from ruling alliance partners, the BJP and Lok Janshakti Party, too participated in the human chain in their respective districts and areas. However, Opposition parties slammed Mr. Kumar for “wasting a huge amount of money for his publicity.”
Chief Secretary Deepak Kumar told the media that altogether 7 helicopters and over 100 drones were used for photographing the human chain in several districts.
“Some helicopters in some districts didn’t fly because of inclement weather”, he added. Asked about the total expenses incurred for organising the event, he said, ₹15-16 crore was spent on the whole awareness campaign.” The Opposition parties alleged that not less than ₹200 crore was spent on hiring copters, drones, planes and professional photographers from Mumbai to record the event and make it a “world record.”
