Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. Asserting that the ‘grand alliance’ in Bihar will last its full five years, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday said his support for the Narendra Modi governments demonetisation move shouldn’t be interpreted as an indication of getting closer to former ally BJP.
“I am completely against corruption and I support any step against it without giving a thought. I support demonetisation because it is a good step. But then, my support for it should not be given a political interpretation that I am getting closer to the BJP,” he said at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
Nitish Kumar, whose Janata Dal-United was in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for 17 years before parting ways in 2014, reiterated that there will no “ghar wapasi” (homecoming) to the former ally.
He also refused to react to Lok Janshakti Party leader Ram Vilas Paswan’s comment that the JD-U chief was welcome to become a part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance one again.
“He (Paswan) is the same man who went to Pakistan and said he broke alliance with the BJP after the Gujarat riots, and today he is saying such things. I do not react to statements of such people,” said Nitish Kumar.
He also rubbished reports of having met BJP President Amit Shah post the demonetisation announcement.
“The journalist who had reported it, the meeting happened at her farm house. So she should answer,” said Nitish Kumar about the media report.
He said the grand alliance forged with foe-turned-friend Lalu Prasad-led Rashtriya Janata Dal, will last for full five years.
“Why should there be a question like that,” Nitish Kumar retorted when asked if the grand alliance would last the full term. “Its has been more than a year that the alliance has been working. So much work has been done,” he said.
Denying allegations of “lawlessness” in Bihar, he asserted he “cannot compromise on rule of law”.
Two persons were injured when stampede broke out at a bank in Andhra Pradesh’s West Godavari district on Saturday.
Glass doors and window panes of the bank were also damaged.
The incident occurred at State Bank of India’s branch at Palakollu town in West Godavari district. The stampede broke out as several people who were standing in queues barged in when the bank opened for the day.
Two customers sustained injuries in the incident. Fearing violence, bank officials stopped transactions. The situation was controlled with the intervention of police.
Utter chaos was seen at banks across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for another day. Government and private employees and pensioners suffered for third consecutive day.
Though the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) infused Rs 2,420 crore and Rs 1,600 crore cash in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Friday, there was not much improvement in the situation.
People lined up before the banks since early morning. Many banks ran out of cash within couple of hours.
Employees and pensioners complained that despite the governments’ direction to banks to pay them Rs 10,000 cash from their salaries and pensions deposited in their accounts, the banks were not giving them more than Rs 4,000 or Rs 6,000. Despite the announcement that there will be separate counters, they were made to stand in common queues.
The elderly men and women were the worst-hit. At many places they were seen sitting on the ground waiting. Many returned disappointed as the banks ran out of money before their turn came.
There was no improvement in functioning of ATMs. Few were dispensing cash but were going dry within no time as hundreds were standing with the hope of drawing at least Rs.2,000.