Prashant Kishor explains why Jan Suraaj chose ‘school bag’ symbol: ‘In 35 years of Lalu-Nitish rule … ‘ | India News
NEW DELHI: Jan Suraaj supremo Prashant Kishore on Saturday criticised the 35-year rule of Lalu Yadav and Nitish Kumar, saying that it has stripped Bihar‘s children of their school bags and replaced them with the burdens of labor. Kishor explained the significance of the school bag as his party’s election symbol, saying that education is essential for ending poverty, creating jobs, and curbing migration.
“In 35 years of Lalu-Nitish rule, the school bag has been removed from the backs of the children of Bihar, and a sack of labour has been tied on them,” Kishore declared.
“The Jan Suraaj symbol is the school bag because the path to ending poverty, creating jobs, and stopping migration lies in education. Only through education can Bihar’s people develop and eradicate poverty,” he explained.
The Election Commission recently allotted the “school bag” symbol to all four candidates fielded by Jan Suraaj in the Bihar by-elections scheduled for November 13. Alongside Ramgarh, by-polls will take place in Imamganj, Belaganj, and Tarari constituencies, following vacancies created earlier this year.
Earlier at a rally in Ramgarh, Kishor had alleged that Bihar’s backwardness is partly due to the electorate’s tendency to vote based on “jaat” (caste) and “bhaat” (free rations). Using a catchy rhyme to make his point, he urged people to break away from supporting parties solely for caste loyalty or minor handouts, stating that such voting patterns have fuelled chronic poverty and lack of progress. “Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar kept Bihar trapped in ‘jaat’ for 35 years,” he said. “For the past 10 years, Modi has been short-changing you in exchange for five kgs of ‘bhaat’.”
Kishore accused both the state and central governments of failing to address the pressing needs of Biharis, particularly in education and economic opportunities. Critiquing Nitish Kumar’s governance, he accused the Chief Minister of replacing one form of “terror” with another. “The terror of criminals during Lalu’s era has been replaced by the terror of an unbridled bureaucracy,” he claimed, referring to the issues caused by recent mandatory smart pre-paid electricity meters and a disruptive land survey that, according to him, have further distressed the public.
He also warned against voting for the BJP, which he claims has made clear it would support another term for Nitish Kumar in next year’s assembly polls. “If you support the BJP, it will strengthen the hands of Nitish, and your woes will continue,” he said.
