Motihari: Former President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday recalled his deep connection with Bihar, and said he believes that whatever he achieved in life is because of the blessings of its people. Kovind was in East Champaran to attend a function organised by the local Krishi Vigyan Kendra, about 15 km from Motihari, the district headquarters.
"During my tenure, I was often called ‘Bihari Rashtrapati’. I liked it as I too have always felt a deep affinity for the state,” said Kovind, who became the President in 2017 and served a full five-year term. "Chief Minister Nitish Kumar congratulated me upon becoming the President. He pointed out that I was the first Governor of Bihar to have been chosen for the top post directly,” he said.
The late Zakir Hussain was another person to have been both the Governor of Bihar and the President. However, unlike Kovind, Hussain served a five-year term as Vice President, before getting elected to the top post. "I always believe that whatever I have achieved in life, it is because of the blessings of the people of Bihar,” Kovind said.
The former President said the Union budget presented last week is likely to bring great benefits to those involved in agriculture, "who comprise half of the country's population, their proportion being as high as 80 per cent in Bihar". He also stressed on the need for "cooperative farming" in Bihar, "where 97 per cent of cultivators are marginal farmers".
"Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam (the whole world is a family) has been a founding principle of Indian civilisation. It is also the principle on which the concept of cooperative farming is based,” said Kovind. The former President lauded the role played by Krishi Vigyan Kendras in disseminating knowledge that could help farmers improve productivity, while combating challenges posed by climate change.
In his speech, Kovind also touched upon the historical significance of Champaran, "the land which transformed Gandhi into the Mahatma, after he successfully led a movement of indigo planters".
