Prashant Kishor Slams Nitish Kumar after Bihar MLA's Son Granted Travel Pass to Return from Kota

Nitish Kumar's government in Bihar allowed BJP MLA Anil Singh's son, a student in Rajasthan's Kota, to return to the state on April 15.

The move came after Kumar criticised the Uttar Pradesh government's decision to bring back students to the state in 300 buses on Friday. He had told NDTV that the decision was an unjust one, and was opposed to the "principle of the lockdown".

Moreover, passes had been issued to around 300 students to return to Patna in taxis just days before the MLA's son was brought back -- a move that prompted the state government to question the Home Ministry. "If students were being allowed to return, why weren't migrant workers?," it had asked. It also demanded that special permits being given by the Rajasthan government should stop.

The issue sparked a political row, as CM Nitish Kumar has been a staunch critic of permitting the return of residents stuck in other states during the lockdown.

Poll strategist Prashant Kishor criticised the move to allow the MLA's son's return, questioning, "Nitishji, what does your dignitiy say now?"

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav tweeted saying, "In Bihar, many VIPs and officers have been issued such passes, while the poor are trapped."

The Bihar government has maintained that some states were more focused on bringing back students while migrant workers remained stranded away from home. Kumar, however, has been opposed to bringing back the workers, and has advocated for state governments to organise camps locally.