Shivanand Tiwari criticized Nitish Numar for touching the feet of PM Modi.

Patna November 13, 2024: RJD national Vice President Shivanand Tiwari heavily criticized CM Nitish Kumar for touching the feet of PM Narendra Modi during the foundation laying ceremony of AIIMS in Darbhanga on Wednesday.

Shivanand Tiwari, who once shared a close association with Nitish Kumar, reflected on their early political days when they worked together in the Lohia Vichar Manch under the leadership of Kishan Patnaik.

Shivanand Tiwari said Nitish Kumar’s first tenure was the golden period:

He recalled a time when he and others believed in Nitish Kumar’s potential, even before Kumar held any major political office, and foresaw him as a possible Chief Minister.

“Nitish Kumar’s initial term as Chief Minister was a ‘golden period” marked by impactful policies aimed at social equity. He was a pioneer in providing reservations for the most backward classes in Panchayat and Municipal Corporation elections, and for implementing 50% reservation for women. Furthermore, Kumar’s introduction of the bicycle and uniform schemes for girls brought transformative changes to rural Bihar, improving both female education and mobility,” he said.

Shivanand Tiwari, expressed a sharp critique of Nitish Kumar’s gesture towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying it is a significant departure from Kumar’s earlier stance.

“A period when Nitish Kumar harbored strong reservations about Modi, dating back to 2010 when Kumar canceled a BJP National Executive meeting in Patna. That decision was reportedly due to his discomfort with Narendra Modi’s presence,” he said.

Shivanand Tiwari had advised Nitish Kumar to leave the BJP alliance, feeling that the decision to invite and then withdraw the dinner invitation was an affront to BJP’s leadership.

In those days, Nitish Kumar was at the height of his popularity in Bihar, and Shivanand Tiwari believed he could have secured a strong mandate even without BJP’s support.

Shivanand Tiwari disheartened due to the shift of Nitish Kumar’s political stance:

Reflecting on the political shifts since then, Tiwari observed that there was a national sentiment that saw Nitish Kumar as a viable alternative to Modi.

“seeing him now, openly touching Modi’s feet during the Darbhanga AIIMS foundation-laying event, has profoundly changed the perception of Kumar’s stature,” he said.

This transformation to a “tragic drama,” suggests that history would remember Nitish Kumar as a complex figure whose political journey eventually led to actions he once resisted.

On Wednesday, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attempted to touch Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s feet during the foundation-laying ceremony of AIIMS in Darbhanga.

The moment, which PM Modi deflected by stopping Kumar and inviting him to sit beside him, has been widely discussed, highlighting Kumar’s gesture of humility and respect.

Also Read: Nitish Kumar tried to touch the feet of PM Narendra Modi as a goodwill gesture for healthcare bonanza.

EOM.