Patna, Nov 8 (IANS) Jan Suraaj Party chief Prashant Kishor on Friday said that improving education is the key to overcoming poverty and backwardness in Bihar while blaming the regime of Lalu Prasad Yadav as well as Nitish Kumar for the deterioration in the state's education system.
He said that his party had requested the Election Commission to assign it the election symbol of a "School Bag", and eventually got the nod to use it.
While explaining the significance of this symbol, Kishor also criticised the prolonged rule of leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar, blaming them for the deteriorated state of Bihar's education system.
"Decades of ineffective governance have forced many children to forego education for labour," Kishor said.
The "School Bag" symbol, as envisioned by the Jan Suraaj Party, represents the commitment to prioritise education as a fundamental solution for Bihar’s development, he said.
Kishor stressed that restoring school bags to children's shoulders would signify a shift towards progress, envisioning a future where access to quality education can break the cycle of poverty in the state.
He said that the "School Bag" symbolises a pathway to employment and prosperity for Bihar's youth.
"If Bihar aims to curb the ongoing migration of its young population to other states, the solution lies in ensuring quality education. The party's mission is to bring world-class educational opportunities to Bihar, which will enable local employment and reduce the need for youth to leave their home state in search of work," Kishor said.
He highlighted that true development of Bihar hinges on a robust education system. Drawing from Indian tradition, he noted that prosperity (symbolised by Goddess Lakshmi) follows knowledge and learning (symbolised by Goddess Saraswati).
"By choosing the 'School Bag' as its election symbol, Jan Suraaj aims to communicate its commitment to making education the foundation of Bihar's progress, empowering youth and fostering growth within the state," Prashant Kishor said.
Kishor, who is widely known as a poll strategist, launched the Jan Suraaj Party on October 2 this year.
