PATNA: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar lost his cool once again after finding a sign-board of a newly established digital library written in English in Banka district on Wednesday. He was so displeased that he asked the officials concerned to change the signboard as early as possible.
“You people are ending the importance of the Hindi language. Hindi is our own language. It's also a part of our tradition,” he told the senior government officials present at the inauguration of the library.
Nitish, however, hastened to add that it didn't mean that he had any problem with the English language. The officials present at the event were taken aback by the sudden outburst of the chief minister.
“I had not imagined that chief minister has so much anger against the use of English language,” said a senior deputy collector present on the occasion. He said the chief minister's directive would be followed at the earliest.
This is not the first occasion when Nitish showed his anger against the use of English at any public function.
In March this year, he hit the national headlines when he expressed his displeasure over the use of English by a farmer at a farmers' meeting in the state capital. Bihar CM had reminded the farmer that it was not England but Bharat (India). Moreover, the meeting was being held for the farmers and most of them were not aware of the English language that he was using at the event. The progressive farmer from Samastipur district had not expected that he would have to face the wrath of the chief minister for using English to express his views. “If CM had any grudge against the use of English language at any government function, he should have told it earlier,” the visibly upset farmer had said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar paid surprise visits to the new secretariat to check whether ministers and officials reached their offices in time.
On Tuesday, several ministers and officials were found absent from their respective offices. Sources said that Nitish even talked to a few ministers who were not present in their offices. “Where are you? I am at your office,” a senior officer quoted Nitish as having told one of the ministers 'missing' from his office over the phone.