Tejashwi Yadav urges Nitish Kumar to persuade Centre over Special Status of Bihar

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday called upon Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to persuade the Central Government to grant special status to Bihar. Yadav accused the NDA government in Bihar of "failing" to ensure the development of the State in the past 15 years and said the state needs special status and a financial and medical package.

"Bihar's resources are limited. The Nitish government has done nothing to diversify the health and infrastructure of the state, set up industries, create jobs and upgrade the infrastructure according to the needs of modern times," he said in a statement. He said the crisis emanating from the coronavirus is "unimaginable, unbearable and painful" for millions of poor and people in low-income groups.

"We strongly demand that in this hour of crisis, the double-engine government should give Bihar special state status. I hope the double-engine government and the Chief Minister will at least persuade the central government on our demand to grant special state status to Bihar," he said. 

READ: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar digitally inspects quarantine centres; takes feedback

READ: 61 fresh COVID-19 cases in Bihar; count rises to 2,166

Tejashwi Yadav slams Nitish Kumar's Bihar govt over Covid testing numbers

Slamming the Nitish Kumar led Bihar government, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav earlier said that the State is not testing enough and state government is not paying heed to the request of the opposition. Taking to Twitter, he claimed that from May 1 to May 21, only 1510 tests per day has been done in the state. Tejashwi Yadav who is the son of former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav returned to the state capital Patna last week from Delhi after he was stuck there due to nationwide lockdown. 

Earlier on Wednesday, Tejashwi had claimed that there has only been 'paperwork' in the name of screening. He highlighted that until there is not enough testing, it is neither possible to assess the severity of the problem nor to find a solution. In a press release by Tejashwi Yadav, the RJD leader has also alleged that the healthcare system of the state has been destroyed in the last 15 years and that there is a shortage of PPE kits, testing kits and ventilators. 

"We have called for testing of migrant workers entering the state and that there should be proper arrangement for their quarantine. Social distancing is not followed in quarantine centres in Bihar and also there are no masks. The situation of quarantine centres is such that they themselves have become a spot for spreading infection," ANI quoted Tejashwi Yadav.

READ: Bihar govt changes strategy for quarantine as 1184 migrants test COVID-19 positive

READ: Bihar govt slams RJD's Tejashwi Yadav for being away from state amid Covid; offers e-pass

(With Inputs from ANI)