By Manzar Bilal, TwoCircles.net,
Patna: The recent expansion of the Union Cabinet had no good news for people of Bihar. With no representation of Bihar in Manmohan Singh’s team, it is perhaps for the first time when there is no central minister in the Union Cabinet from the state.
In 2009 Lok Sabha Election, United Progressive Alliance (UPA) led by Congress Party got massive victory but from Bihar its only two candidates got elected– Meira Kumar from Sasaram and Maulana Asrarul Haque from Kishanganj. Kumar was inducted as the water resources minister in the Cabinet but very soon she was elevated as the speaker of Lok Sabha which was the end of Bihar’s representation in the Union Cabinet.
“Its unfortunate that Bihar was ignored in the reshuffle. It was a political game due to which Bihar was ignored,” said eminent activist and director of Alkhair Charitable Trust, Nayyer Fatmi while talking to TCN.
He also said that the reason may be that the leadership of Bihar Congress failed to convince party high command to give the representation to the state.
In his reaction, Maulana Anisur Rahman Qasmi, General Secretary of Imart Shariah, also expressed disappointment for non-inclusion of anyone from Bihar. “We were hopeful that Bihar will be given at least one berth in the council of ministry because it was its right as it is a backward state but it did not happen.” said Maulana Qasmi.
“Maulana Asrarul Haque Qasmi who emerged victorious from very tough parliamentary constituency of Kishanganj in 2009 Lok Sabha election, should have been inducted in the ministry. Though he is new in the party, his experiences and works would have helped Congress to regain faith among the people of Bihar especially Muslims” told Maulana Anisur Rahman who is also Chairman of Bihar Haj Committee.
The leader of the opposition in Bihar assembly Abdul Bari Siddiqui also echoed the demand of Maulana Qasmi. “At least Congress should have inducted Maulana Asrarul Haque” Siddiqui has been quoted as saying.
Ignorance of the state by the Congress party has given another reason to the NDA government of Bihar to blame the Congress for its alleged step-motherly treatment of the state.