Bihar BJP chief invokes Vajpayee’s statement
“Darkness will dissipate, the sun will emerge and the lotus will bloom” is the statement of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi reiterated on the BJP’s 47th foundation day in Patna. He clearly indicated that soon the top post of power in Bihar, i.e., the post of Chief Minister, will be occupied by the BJP. It will be for the first time in the Hindi heartland that the BJP will have its own chief minister, even though it remained in power for almost two decades. But the moot question is whether there has been darkness in Bihar till now.
Student accidentally gets drunk in school
Prohibition in Bihar has always been a matter of debate. But what is more shocking is that even students get drunk in schools. Police have recovered a huge quantity of liquor from a primary government school in Begusarai district. As the audacity of bootleggers knows no bounds, the school toilet virtually turned into a liquor warehouse. The matter came to light when, mistaking it for a soft drink, a student accidentally drank the liquor stored in the school toilet, after which his health deteriorated. Later, he was admitted to a local hospital for treatment. Police recovered 25 cartons of illicit liquor from the toilet. Earlier, there had been reports of many teachers visiting schools in a drunken state.
Direct flights for Dubai, Bangkok, Kathmandu
Bihar flyers have reasons to rejoice. Former union minister and Patna Sahib MP Ravi Shankar Prasad has announced that the ‘double-engine’ government is seriously considering launching international flight services from Jayaprakash International Airport, also known as Patna airport, to key destinations such as Dubai, Bangkok and Kathmandu. He said that he held discussions with Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary on the issue. The government may offer financial incentives or rebates to airlines to encourage direct international connectivity. This will help flyers to board direct flights from Patna instead of travelling to other airports.
Ramashankar
Our correspondent in Bihar
ramashankar@newindianexpress.com