‘Misleading women’: Nitish Kumar hits out at Tejashwi over Jeevika promise

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday took a veiled swipe at his former deputy Tejashwi Yadav, accusing him of trying to “mislead” women by making hollow promises about the Jeevika self-help groups.

Without naming the RJD leader, Kumar said in a lengthy social media post: “The people of Bihar had given them a chance, but they used power to serve their own interests instead of serving the people.”

His remarks came a day after Yadav, now the opposition INDIA bloc’s chief ministerial candidate, promised government employee status to contractual workers and a hike in monthly remuneration to Rs 30,000 for nearly two lakh “community mobilisers” involved with Jeevika self-help groups.

“Some people, just before elections, are trying to portray themselves as champions of Jeevika Didis and half of Bihar’s population. The truth is, in the name of ‘Jeevika Didis’, they are seeking a livelihood for their own families,” Kumar wrote.

“They are making grand promises of bringing the moon and stars for half the population. Bihar’s people gave these individuals a chance as well, but back then, their focus was more on personal gains than on service”, he added.

He added: “During their rule, women’s development was limited to their own families. The pain, suffering, and sting of ‘jungle raj’ that Bihar’s women endured during that period is no secret.”

Kumar asserted that Bihar today is not what it was before 2005. “Bihar’s sisters and daughters are studying, progressing, working, creating jobs, and bringing pride to the state and the country. They know who has truly worked for their uplift,” he said.