Prashant Kishor slams Nitish Kumar on pension hike

Patna, June 21 (IANS) Jan Suraaj chief Prashant Kishor on Saturday slammed Nitish Kumar, calling the hike in the Social Security Pension Scheme a result of “public pressure” created by Jan Suraaj’s campaign.

He also issued open challenges to leaders like Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal, accusing them of dynastic politics and corruption.

Kishor congratulated the elderly, widows, and disabled of Bihar on the government’s decision to increase the pension amount from Rs 400 to Rs 1100, but claimed credit for the move.

“It is the power of Jan Suraaj that forced the government to act. For the last two and a half years, we have been raising our voices on this issue. After the formation of the Jan Suraaj government in November, we will further raise the pension to Rs 2000 per month,” said Prashant Kishor while addressing the media in Vaishali.

He asserted that democracy is working because people now have an alternative.

“Until now, there was political bonded labour in Bihar due to a lack of options. That is changing with Jan Suraaj,” he added.

Prashant Kishor also launched a scathing personal attack on BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal, accusing him of corruption and nepotism.

“Jaiswal was once a clerk in a college. He should explain how he became its owner. Also, he must disclose how many children of political leaders have obtained MBBS degrees from that college over the last two decades,” Kishor alleged.

He challenged Jaiswal to get his claims about Jan Suraaj's online operations verified by cyber experts, mocking the BJP leader for not knowing the difference between a Facebook page and a group.

Taking aim at Chirag Paswan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, and Lalu Prasad Yadav, he accused all three of doing politics not for their communities but for their families.

“If Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi really care about their communities, I challenge them to make a capable leader from their caste, outside of their family, the head of their party,” Kishor dared.

“Lalu Yadav is not concerned about the Yadav community; he is only worried about making Tejashwi Yadav the Chief Minister,” he added.

The statements come at a politically charged moment, with Bihar gearing up for Assembly elections in just four months.

--IANS

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