BJP slams Nitish Kumar over question paper row; alleges 'Muslim appeasement', probe ordered

The Bihar Education Minister has ordered a probe into a controversial question asked in the examination for Class 7 students in Bihar in which Kashmir was marked as a separate nation.

Patna: Bihar government today ordered a probe into the controversial question which was asked in an examination for the Class 7 students. Slamming the Bihar government, BJP spokesperson and the national general secretary of BJP OBC Morcha Dr. Nikhil Anand, targeted Nitish Kumar for pointing out Kashmir as a separate nation in the question paper.

The national general secretary of BJP OBC Morcha and Bihar BJP spokesperson Dr. Nikhil Anand targeted Nitish Kumar for pointing out Kashmir as a separate nation in the Class VII question.

"Does Nitish Kumar sitting in the lap of RJD have openly started running an agenda of religious appeasement, divisive, sectarian, anti-national, and pro-Pakistan for the sake of vote bank politics? Nitish Kumar is pursuing sectarian and divisive agenda as well as playing the politics of Muslim appeasement for the sake of vote bank politics,” said Anand.

A query in the English question paper during the half-yearly examination at a school in the Kishanganj district has led to controversy. The exam took place on Monday in Asha Lata Middle School and had two mark questions asking students to tell the name of residents of the nation. Alongside China, Nepal, and England, a surprise question was asked about what are people of Kashmir are called to fill in the blanks.

Anand further said, “CM Nitish Kumar who is also the home minister of Bihar has already shown ignorance while the PFI spread its wings under his nose in Bihar to train 20,000 cadres. The NIA is now raiding different parts of Bihar to arrest anti-nationals. Surprisingly, Nitish Kumar is keeping mum on the whole issue without taking any responsibility. In Kishanganj, the class 7th students were asked questions to promote the interest of anti-nationals and pollute the young minds of India.”

The BJP spokesperson did not stop here and asked why the government of Bihar led by Nitish Kumar considers Kashmir a separate Island or nation outside India.

“By promoting such education, the grand alliance government led by Nitish Kumar is promoting an anti-national and pro-Pakistan psyche. This horrible and shameful agenda of Nitish Kumar to promote the interest of Islamic fundamentalist groups is shocking. The JDU, RJD, and Congress are well known to play the politics of Muslim appeasement in the interest of their so-called secular votes. The BJP will give a befitting reply to these people of the grand alliance and won't tolerate such persuasion of religious fundamentalist and appeasement as well as anti-national agenda,” Anand said.

BJP state unit president Sanjay Jaiswal too attacked the Bihar government alleging that Nitish Kumar has been so restless with his desire to become Prime Minister that his government is inflicting anti-national question papers on the children of class seven.

Meanwhile, Bihar Education Minister, Chandrasekhar said that a probe has been ordered and strict action would be taken against the person responsible for this act.

“No matter how big the official who has made this grave mistake, action would be taken against that person. An investigation is going on and I am in constant touch with the Kishanganj district magistrate who has been assigned to investigate the entire matter and submit the report,” Chandrasekhar said.

He further said that human beings tend to make mistakes and even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made mistakes.

“Once Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that Takshila is in Bihar – The Prime Minister of India has no knowledge of where Takshila exists. He had even said that Swami Vivekanand used to speak to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. So in the same way it is a mistake and action would be taken,” Chandrasekhar said.