Bihar CM Nitish Kumar accuses opposition INDIA bloc leaders of treating Muslims as 'vote bank'
Patna (PTI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday accused opposition INDIA bloc leaders of treating the Muslim community as a "vote bank" by portraying themselves as their well-wishers.
Kumar claimed that while opposition leaders are using various tactics to secure the votes of the minority community, no efforts are being made to give them any significant representation.
In a post on X, the CM wrote, "When elections are here, some people (leaders of Opposition parties) are again trying to portray themselves as well-wishers of the Muslim community. This is all deception. They consider Muslims as their 'vote bank' only."
The CM said in the NDA government, people from the minority community are getting their due representation in every sector.
"Without any discrimination, they are getting proper representation in every field, whereas previous governments used the Muslim community only for votes and gave them no share in power", Kumar wrote.
I humbly request people belonging to this community not to get themselves trapped into promises offered by them, he said..
"Remember the work we have done for you and then decide whom to vote for. Before 2005, there was no work for people of the Muslim community in the state. Prior to that, communal clashes used to occur frequently in different parts of the state", the CM stated.
"Since November 24, 2005, when we came to power, steps were taken for the overall development of the Muslim community. In 2025-26, the budget of the Minority Welfare Department was increased 306 times, with a provision of Rs 1080.47 crore annually," he added.
The chief minister highlighted the measures taken to prevent communal incidents, such as fencing more than 8,000 cemeteries since 2006, with 1,273 additional sites identified for fencing, 746 of which have been completed.
Referring to past incidents of communal violence, Kumar noted that, "When we got the opportunity to serve, the Bhagalpur communal riots of 1989 were investigated, strict action was taken against culprits, and compensation was provided to victims. Additionally, assistance in the form of pensions is being given to families affected by the riots. Earlier, there used to be so many Hindu-Muslim conflicts, but now there are no such disputes."
After 2006, madrasas were registered and granted recognition by the state government, Kumar said.
"Teachers in madrasas are being paid salaries equivalent to those of government teachers. Furthermore, after 2007, an assistance amount of Rs 10,000 has been provided to abandoned/divorced Muslim women to help them gain employment, which has now been increased to Rs 25,000 per month," he added.
"Useful schemes like Talimi Markaz and Hunar have been implemented for the Muslim community. Scholarships, free coaching, hostels, grants, and other schemes are being run for students and youth from the Muslim community. The Entrepreneur Scheme is providing benefits to young people to start their own businesses", the CM wrote.
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Gill leads Gujarat Titans to 5-wicket win against Kolkata Knight Riders
Ahmedabad (PTI): Shubman Gill led from the front with a classy 86 as Gujarat Titans defeated Kolkata Knight Riders by five wickets in an Indian Premier League match here on Friday.
Earlier, KKR all-rounder Cameron Green produced a fighting 79 off 55 balls to lift his side to 180 all out. In reply, Gill anchored the chase with a composed 86 off 50 deliveries as GT crossed the line in 19.4 overs.
The win marked GT's third successive victory after opening with two losses, while KKR's search for their first win of the season continues.
Brief scores:
Kolkata Knight Riders 180 all out in 20 overs (Cameron Green 79; Kagiso Rabada 3/29, Mohammed Siraj 2/23).
Gujarat Titans: 181 for 5 in 19.4 overs (Shubman Gill 86; Varun Chakravarthy 2/34).
