|
|
(BiharTimes) It took 98 springs and an election year for any state government to invoke the Bihari sub-nationalism. Though it was on March 22, 1912 that Bihar was carved out from Bengal, yet it is for the first time today that the occasion is being celebrated in such a grand scale with the state government announcing a public holiday.
In the last 63 years after independence––including the four of the present government––no chief minister ever thought of observing it as a Bihar Divas (Day). However, it was earlier this year that the state government decided to celebrate the day with much fanfare. Though it was not a centenary year yet the chief minister went out of way to declare holiday for this cocasion. Even the central government establishments like the banks were asked to declare holiday under Negotiable Instrument Act.
The announcement of holiday was made so late that even the Bihar School Examination Board was not aware of it at the time it published its exam schedule for Plus-II. It is only a couple of days back that it decided to cancel all the Plus-II examination for March 22.
This abrupt decision of declaring public holiday caused immense hardship not only to examinees, who have their centres much away from their home, but also to the examiners. As most of the Plus-II students are to appear in competitive exams schedule in April it will not be easy to find a new date to take the examination of March 22.
The government’s announcement to celebrate the occasion with a public holiday in the busiest week of the financial year, which ends on March 31, was not welcomed by the common people and politicians, both within and outside the ruling coalition. With another holiday on March 24, that is, Wednesday (Ramnavami) there was absolute no point in getting even the banks closed for celebrating the 98th year of the birth of modern Bihar.
The earlier chief ministers of the state were not fools. They did not declare public holiday on March 22 as they knew the importance of the day in this part of the year. Government offices and banks work overtime to settle all the accounts. Only a reckless and irresponsible government can ever dream of organizing such a jamboree when everyone is busy in some serious business.
Besides, Bihari sub-nationalism was never so strong as it is in the case with several other states. People of Bihar, like of some other states, always gave priority to Indian natiomalism and were less bothered about Bihar. It is true the self-sacrificing attitude of the people and the state government of earlier years cost Bihar dearly, yet nobody ever thought about it.
Biharis never got carried away by the virus of sub-nationalism as being spread by Thackerays in Maharastra or some other politicians elsewhere. Biharis never deemed it fit to celebrate the occasion and that too with a holiday as it would create unnecessary animosity. They just wanted to get preferential treatment in their own state and there was no ill-will involved in its creation. Many Bengalese too started realizing that their state had become too unwieldy and needed to be bifurcated for better administration.
Since the present chief minister Nitish Kumar has a sort of obsession for big shows and functions he thought of taking political mileage in this year of assembly election. All out of sudden his government announced that the Bihar Divas would be celebrated not only in Bihar but outside too––even in Gulf countries, Australia, US etc. Crores of rupees would be spent on this extravaganza with the sole purpose of earning self-praise.
Can’t we observe the day without a holiday but with a resolve to work extra hard for the development of the state. India already has too many of holidays and we can not at least afford one at such a crucial time of the year.
comments...
I always found so many comments on the articles of Mr. Ahmed, it suggest that he is a writer of his own class, who understands the very pulse of Bihar’s political and caste system. some of the readers say that Mr. Ahmed is anti Nitish or has a negative approach towards the progresses of Bihar under present government, everyone has the right to opine ,no heart feelings, it is a democratic system gentle men which gives every one equal opportunity to express and demand, freedom of expression is the very essence of the democratic India! And I must congratulate Bihar times which gives equal and unedited opportunity to its readers to opine, a continued effort of fair journalism, Jai ho BT
Now coming back to the celebration of Bihar divas by the so called progressive chief minister, showing his extravaganza in the said celebration demonstrates his xenophobic psychosis comparable to Thakreys and others elsewhere in the country.
Since independence Bihar had many hard working and honest chief ministers , is Mr. Nitish the only clever one ,and others were fools, who did not celebrate such divas in their tenure as CM? what is the need of celebrating such divas now,? Is it not an election stunt of our honorable CM?
Is it the time to rejoice brothers , when our infant mortality rate ,unemployment, illiteracy ,skilled or unskilled labor migration is amongst highest in the country? The state where there is population explosion and rampant disease, the number of BPL is highest, where people crying for their basic needs, near non existing medical and education facilities, depilated infrastructure and apathy among the government officials, where unemployed youth moves on the road side as nomads and educated class moves out of the state for higher education and employment, where millions die of flood and hunger. There is no justification in conducting cabinet meeting on the hill top of Rajgir or on the ship in the river ganga, in celebrating Bihar divas and spending millions of dollars for the sake of invoking Bihari sub- nationalism , the same amount could have been used for the welfare of the state and the people.
It is very easy to write and celebrate in the cozy air conditioned room sitting thousands of mile away from home ,and not thinking of those who have nothing to eat , at least the intellectuals of Bihar should be realistic , practical and rational in their approach, they should condemn such xenophobic acts of our leaders whether it is NITISH, OR anyone else!
Yes, I am in favor of celebrating such divas too, if the IMR, and lliteracy rate becomes lowest and highest respectively in the country and non of our youth moves out of the state for the sake of higher education or employment.
DR ANWER AHSAN,
DAMMAM, KSA
--------------------------------------------------------
Bihari-sub nationalism is what was missing as all the states of india (read developped states) adopted this model and were able to achive lot of development..Now as per the writer this is due to the election year, or recklessness or show man ship of Nitish govt costing public money..who cares!!! do you really care sir, where were we when this state was ripped, looted and exploited by its own people and also center...SO let the good rip-off happen :-) for the overall betterment of the state...A great strategic move!
I am pryaing for the day when this sub-nationalism catches up in schools and colleges..Bihar needs this very badly...
Lets celebrate Bihar Divas.
SHARAD MOHAN
New Jersey, US
--------------------------------------
"Wish you all a happy brand new BIHAR DIWAS.
I agree with Mr. Amarendra Kishore comments on the article. Mr. Soroor always try to show some sorts of negative approach in his article. May be he works for some opposition political party or he hates developments.
Rajesh Sinha
Noida
------------------------------------
I think we should be proud of this event because none of the previous govt. thought of this. Every state celebrate their day and it is a holiday for the state govt. In U.P. Mayawati declared a holiday on shri Kanshiram’s birthday. Maharashtra celebrate “Maharashtra Day” on May 1st. For your information, it is not Thackeray who announced 1st May as Maharashtra Day. It is being celebrated for many years now.
I think it is good initiative and Nitish Govt. must be congratulated for that. But it must have been announced much ahead, so that the examinations would not have been disrupted. The examination scheduling would have been done considering a holiday on 22nd March.
Sanjay K.Sinha
New Delhi
---------------------------
This article be Saroor Ahmad again goes wrong way. I have been observing that Ahmad Saheb is trying everytime to pull leg of this government. When elections were won by JD(U), he claimed it the win of caste politics instead of development. Almost in his every article he comes with caste factors as if in Bihar caste factor is everything. It could be something but not everything like yesteryears.
Now this article! Saroor Ahmad seems to be in pain, because this government is the first government who felt the need to introduce Bihari subnationalism by creating Bihar Day. he objects to this new day's foundation citing problems due to its date falling near the end of the financial year. Then what can be done Mr Ahmad? Can you get back to the history and chage the date? or would you still prefer to carry on that long carried no-feeling of being a Bihari..and beaing beaten in very road and corner of this nation, humiliated every where...but still not feeling the need to call strongly a Bihar day...to make us remember essentially about need of our identity and real nationalism towards Bihar....I think Ahmad, it worths, a Bihar Day in the mid of even closing session worths a lot to be celebrated. And it should be celebrated more better and bigger than my deewali and your Eid...because you and me and our allc elebrations are only becuase we are Biharis and we are indebted to Bihar beyond our financial years. World knows what you and your Bihar achieved financially even when Bihar diwas was not celebrated and full financial days were followed!
Instead of rattling and feeling so sorry of celebrating Bihar diwas...have some brain and why don't you propose the solution..like make the following Sunday, March 28 as an official day? Anyway if you sleep for the entire year, merely one day does not make you rich. you can settle score any other day by making it equal to two days...if you are really so much concerned!
--
Ravi Shankar
------------------------------
Refer to Mr. Soroor Ahmed's article on the subject.
I can categorically state that he is a spokesperson of RJD which is very much clear from his analysis. This man is after present State Government since it took oath of office in 2005. My view is that:
What is wrong in celebrating Bihar Diwas? The collateral damage done to Bihar in RJD's 15 years rule is well known to all of us. We were ashamed of re-confirming that we are Biharis when the RJD duo ruled for 15 years. The Congress Party is equally responsible for the destruction and zero per cent development during RJD's misrule of 15 years, as they supported from outside as & when RJD required their support.
Now, present state government has started the process of changing Bihar by way of implementing developmental agenda and people like Soroor is feeling jealous. Let Bihar celebrate "Bihar Divas" in order to showcase its reach culture and lost identity. I don't mind.
As far as cost is concerned, why Central Govt. celebrates 26th Jan. (Republic Day) in such a large scale and spend crores of rupees. Instead, they should celebrate Republic Day in a very simple manner. No need to spend lavishly public monies.
Dear Soroor - What had not been done in 90 years, should be done now. It should have been celebrated in line of Maharastra Divas, UP Divas etc. and why not.
I request concerned authority of Govt. of Bihar to take concrete action against Soroor Ahmed the so-called freelance journalist. His credibility can be verified from M. J. Akbar who had thrown him out from Asian Age.
Mohammad Yasar Imran
--------------------
I think, everybody except editor, feel pride for celebrating Bihar-Diwas. I, hereby, making humble request to the editor please do something to increase the image of Bihar. So that tomorrow some company might visit and it will be truly beneficial for state like Bihar. Mr. Chief Minister is doing their best to do something. Please do not make " Bihar Times" like other News channel which speaks only after taking a huge bribe. Your article seems that you are speaking on behlaf of Congress.
Shashi Ranjan
Kanpur
--------------------------------
If like that then no need to celebrate Republic day also,I think this is a very good celebration.
Ashok Rai
Bahrain
------------------
Wish you all on first ever Bihar day. Let's take an oath to work for a brighter future of Bihar.
It is again proved Saroor Ahmed, doesn't deserve to be a column writer on bihartimes.com. He is unique in his negativity, he don't like anything and everything which makes everyone else in the state proud.
Amarendra Kishore
-------------------------
This is sheer was wastage of state resources. Govt. has spent more than 3.5 crores in the Gandhi Maidan function and every district has spent lakhs of rupees in the function and another crore was spent of full pages advt. to newspapers. Can a state with 1.40 crore nailies living below poverty line can afford such celeberation !!!! Janata ka paisa hai khub urao. kal rahe na rahe.....................
There can't be any justification than -------- this is an election year.
Vikas Singh
|
|
