New Delhi: Hours earlier than Chief Minister Nitish Kumar introduced plans to maneuver to Rajya Sabha, the Bihar authorities issued instructions limiting media entry to the state meeting.
“As per the directions, we wish to inform you that for the March 5 program in Bihar Vidhan Sabha, media individuals won’t be allowed to enter past Gate No. 10 in Bihar Vidhan Sabha. Entry from different gates can also be prohibited. Protection may be completed from Gate No. 10,” the Patna district administration mentioned in a communication.
The transfer is seen as an try to guard the CM from media questions on his transfer to the Senate, however authorities sources mentioned the media restrictions had been introduced conserving in thoughts the safety and confidentiality of the nomination occasion in Parliament. Thursday is the final day for candidates to leap into the Rajya Sabha polls scheduled for March 16.
P.T.I. Nitish knowledgeable that he has submitted his nomination papers for Rajya Sabha to the Bihar Legislative Meeting Secretariat within the presence of House Minister Amit Shah, Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Chaudhary and Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Sinha.
That is the primary time that such media restrictions have been launched earlier than the submission of nomination papers for Rajya Sabha polls.
Within the run-up to final yr’s Bihar meeting elections, Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor claimed that the CM was “mentally unfit” and even challenged that he (Kishor) would give up politics if Nitish was in a position to approve cupboard ministers with none assist.
Today, Nitish’s shut aides management entry to him, and the CM’s frequent gaffes have embarrassed the federal government. Typically he solely got here for temporary media appearances or picture shoots. Forward of final yr’s polls, Nitish made restricted and shock appearances, together with a quick look on the NDA manifesto launch. After that, he left with none contact with the media.
“What the Indian Nationwide Congress has repeatedly mentioned in the course of the Bihar election marketing campaign has now been confirmed to be true. A coup was carried out in Bihar to grab energy in a conspiracy orchestrated by the G2. In some ways, it is a grave betrayal of the mandate of the individuals,” Jairam Ramesh, a senior Congress chief, posted on X.
Reacting to Nitish’s submit ‘looking for to turn out to be Rajya Sabha member’ on X Thursday, senior RJD chief and Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha mentioned, ‘This submit is Nitish Kumarji’s personal voice. Few individuals would doubt or hesitate to imagine that it does not sound like that. There’s a unusual, alien sound to the textual content, as if it had been composed someplace and solely learn right here.”
Political specialists mentioned the federal government’s order to limit media motion in Parliament on Thursday was a part of a plan to defend JD(U) chief Nitish from questions.
“As you understand, some JD(U) functionaries are very upset about this choice and most newspapers haven’t any editions as a result of Holi competition. Subsequently, the information (of Nitish’s transfer) was restricted solely to social media and digital media. The concept is to restrict the information as a lot as potential in order that there isn’t any consolidation of ‘pro-Japanese motion’ by JD(U) leaders,” Patna College professor Rakesh Ranjan advised ThePrint.
“Newspapers stay the primary supply of knowledge in most villages, and by the point they get the knowledge, Nitish Kumar may have already filed his candidature (for Rajya Sabha). There have been earlier makes an attempt to defend him from the media, and this newest order appears to be according to that,” he added.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
Additionally learn: Nitish Is Rajya Sabha seat, paving the best way for turning into the primary Bharatiya Janata Occasion CM – “Our relationship with the individuals of Bihar will proceed”
