Power minister recalls Sri Babu's contribution to land reforms

PATNA: The issue of land reforms has proved to be too much of a headache for the Nitish Kumar government. And, the issue was again raked up at a


programme to observe the 123rd birth anniversary of Bihar's first chief minister Sri Krishna Sinha at the Sri Krishna Vigyan Kendra on Tuesday.



Though chief minister Nitish Kumar was the chief guest, he did not speak due to indisposition. Power minister Ramashray Prasad Singh took the opportunity to lambast those trying to rake up the issue. He was so agitated that he described Debabrata Bandyopadhyaya as ghamandi' and suffering from misunderstanding. The minister said it was Nitish, who chose Bandyopadhyaya to head the Commission for Land Reforms, but he failed to do justice. "Kisan hum hain aur khurafat koi aur kare," he remarked.



Singh said certain vested persons were spreading canards regarding land reforms in the state. Describing it as an attempt to divide society and malign Nitish, he said: "Since Nitish is trying to bring everyone together in the state keeping the development of Bihar in mind, certain people are engaged in spreading rumours that he (Nitish) was opposing land reforms in the state."



The power minister lauded the CM for following the path shown by Sri Babu. He assured Nitish that everyone, including the farmers of the state, were steadfastly behind him.



Speaking on the occasion, Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Ashok Kumar said it was Sri Babu, who first thought of land reforms when Bihar and Bengal were united. "His ideas were based on his experiences," he said, adding that if Sri Babu's ideas had been implemented, Naxalism would not even have been born in West Bengal's Naxalbari.



Former Union minister and senior Congress leader L P Shahi said he wanted to bring out a biography of such a great person. He announced that he would donate Rs 1 lakh to anyone, who agreed to write Sri Babu's biography.

Prominent among those present on the occasion included AICC member Amrendra Singh, former ministers Vishwa Mohan Sharma and Veena Sahi and former Bihar Chamber of Commerce chairman Yogeshwar Pandey.

 

Coursey : the Times of India