Bihar CM Nitish Kumar links fresh COVID-19 scare to Centre's wariness of Bharat Jodo Yatra

The JD(U) leader was talking to journalists on the sidelines of a function in Patna.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on December 21 took a dig at the Narendra Modi government at the Centre for raising an alarm over a fresh COVID-19 spike at a time when the Bharat Jodo Yatra of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was gaining momentum.

The JD(U) leader, who dumped the BJP four months ago to join the 'Mahagathbandhan', which includes the Congress, vowing to defeat the NDA by uniting the the Opposition ahead of the next Lok Sabha polls, was talking to journalists on the sidelines of a function in Patna.

"It should be known why they (the ruling BJP at the Centre) had become laidback over COVID, in the first place, and why they have certainly become vigilant now when the Congress people are taking out a yatra," Mr. Kumar said.

When pointed out that Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has called for ensuring COVID protocol at the yatra, or even putting off the same "in national interest", Mr. Kumar quipped, "That is what I am saying. Why do these people have an objection to that yatra? Why do they themselves keep taking out processions?"

The longest-serving Chief Minister of Bihar asserted that the COVID-19 situation in the State was fully under control and the testing rate was never allowed to sag despite a sharp dip in incidence.

"On many days, the State reports zero cases. Even on days when cases are reported, the tally is in a single digit. Nonetheless, we have kept up aggressive testing. The number of people tested for every 10 lakh of population is about eight lakh, which is far better than the national average of six lakh," he asserted.