A slew of anti-graft measures by the Nitish Kumar led NDA government, launch of L K Advani's yatra from Saran, Sushil Kumar a computer operator with MNREGA winning the Rs 5-crore KBC jackpot, the Forbesganj police firing on Muslims and arrests of many hardcore Naxalites made the news headlines in Bihar in the year 2011.
Sushil Kumar winner of Rs. 5 Crore in KBC
The Right to Service Act (RTS) and Bihar Lokayukta (Amendment) Bill 2011 were enacted and the government announced confiscation of assets of public servants accumulated through corrupt means were other headlines stealers in the state this year.
Nitish Kumar began a new practice -- the chief minister, the Council of ministers, legislators, besides Group III to Grade I officials declaring their annual income and assets details and scrapping of MLAs and MLCs' Local Area Development Funds.
A Delighted Nitish Kumar Speaking to Media
The government of Bihar also took a unique step by setting up a primary school in the palatial house of IAS officer S S Verma, suspended in connection with a disproportionate assets case. BJP’s Veteran leader Advani chose Sitabdiara in Saran district to embark on his Jan Chetna Yatra against corruption which was flagged off by Nitish Kumar on October 12.
Four persons were killed and 30 others injured in police firing and clash between policemen and locals who had indulged in heavy stone-throwing and arson in the industrial area at Forbesganj in Araria district on June 3, 2011. Still the victims are waiting for proper justice.
Lady luck smiled on Sushil Kumar, a computer operator in Chanpatia block of West Champaran, as he became a Rs 5 crore winner on KBC. The first person to win the jackpot in Indian version of ‘Who Want’s to be a Millionaire”. Another contestant from Patna won Rs. 1 crore just one week after Sushil Kumar swept away Rs. 5 crore.
There was also a dip in Naxal activities in the state of Bihar. If we leave stray incidents, the law-and-order situation also improved in Bihar. As the year began, the state witnessed killing of a ruling BJP MLA Raj Kishore Keshari, who was stabbed to death allegedly by a woman teacher. The case is being probed by CBI.
Police arrested 304 hardcore Naxalites, including 64 top leaders during the year. Sixteen top leaders of the proscribed CPI (Maoists), its two 'zonal commanders', nine 'sub-zonal commanders', 14 'area commanders', 16 armed squad members, besides two 'area commanders' of TPC were nabbed.
A CRPF constable was killed and two other troopers were injured as CPI-Maoist cadres triggered three powerful landmine blasts in Gaya in January. Among the prized catches was Jagdish Yadav, a politburo member of CPI-Maoist, who was nabbed from a clinic at Guraru Bazaar in Gaya in June. According to IG (Operations) Rajesh Chandra, the decline in Naxal-related violence was because of continuing offensive against the ultras.
To Be Continued…..
