Nitish says Opposition using secular words to hide their sin

Patna: Lambasting the Opposition questioning his secular credential after he deserted the grand alliance and joined hands with the BJP to form new government in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today averred that no leader in the country could sermonise him on secularism as those cramming the secular word we’re using it to hide their sin.

Mr Kumar, while replying to a stormy debate on a confidence motion of his government, which was passed by 131 against 108 votes in the 243-member State Assembly, said no leader in the country could give him sermon on secularism as those who continued cramming the secular word we’re using it to hide their sin.

The Chief Minister, visibly irked over the Opposition questioning his secular credential after he deserted the grand alliance and joined hands with the BJP to lead new NDA government in Bihar, said the accused in infamous Bhagalpur riots of 1989 were allowed to go scot free and cases against them were closed. “ When I became Chief Minister in 2005, I had ordered for the reopening of cases and fresh trials were initiated, ” Mr Kumar said, adding the compensation amount for victims of Bhagalpur riots was also increased.

The remark of Mr Kumar was being seen as his attack on the Opposition parties trying to create a national level unity in the name of secularism. The Chief Minister said boundary walls around graveyards were constructed in the state and several other measures were also taken to protect the interest of the minority community. None could question his commitment for taking all sections of the society together on the path of development and prosperity, he emphasized. (UNI)