Slamming Union Finance Minister, Pranab Mukherjee for allegedly ignoring the demands for special status to Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said the Union Government was biased against the state.
"It is highly unfortunate that the Union Budget is silent on the long-standing demand for according special status to Bihar. There is even not not a word about the promise for giving a special financial package for the state in the FM's speech," Kumar told reporters.
In 2004, the UPA, on coming to power, had promised to grant a special financial package to Bihar and subsequently, just before the results for the last Lok sabha polls were declared, Congress leaders expressed their positive views on the issue,he said.
Stating that the NDA would oppose the "anti-Bihar" Budget, the chief minister said the NDA MPs from Bihar would raise strong protests over the issue in Parliament.
Dubbing the General Budget as "directionless and disappointing", Kumar said he would seek appointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ventilate his grievances.
Referring to the rehabilitation package announced for the Aila victims in West Bengal, Kumar said it was a matter of "great concern" that the Centre had not made any such promise for rehabilitation of lakhs of victims who were rendered homeless in five Bihar districts by "unprecedented" deluge caused by Kosi.
The Union Finance Minister had also ignored the state's proposal for setting up another unit of Aligarh Muslim University in Muslim-dominated Kishanganj district though the state government had promised to provide sufficient land for the project, he said.