PATNA: The Bihar government is all set to organise a massive, statewide human chain on Sunday to motivate people against the social ills of dowry and child marriages.
The human chain, which will cover 13,660 km by lining the state’s boundaries and crisscrossing all its 38 districts, may well set a record for being the world’s longest, said senior officials. The event is the brainchild of Chief Minister and JD(U) national president Nitish Kumar, who had organised a similar human chain in support of prohibition in Bihar on January 21, 2017.
“More than four crore people, including schoolchildren, will participate in the human chain that will cover 13,660 km. They will take oath to neither accept nor give dowry and to never engage in or encourage child marriage,” said education department principal secretary RK Mahajan.
People will stand in line holding one another’s hands for half an hour – from 12 midday to 12:30 PM. Chains of people formed at panchayat and block levels of a district will be connected with those of other districts at the district borders. Apart from ordinary citizens of all ages, anganwari centre staff, Asha workers, Jeevika didis, mukhias, sarpanches, teachers, government officials and NGO employees will take part in the event.
Nitish Kumar will himself inaugurate the event at the historic Gandhi Maidan in Patna. A team from Limca Book of Records has arrived in Patna to assess the statewide event for ranking. Forty drones fitted with cameras will capture still photos and videos of the event, said officials.
Last year’s human chain, which stretched for 11,477 km, had seen about 3.11 crore people participating. The government, which has been publicising the event through music and dance throughout the state, hopes this year’s show will surpass last year’s.
The Opposition RJD and Congress, which were a part of the government last year and had actively supported the last human chain, have decided to stay away from the event this year.