Arun Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor with Hindustan Times. He has spent two-and-half decades covering Bihar, including politics, educational and social issues.
Articles by Arun Kumar
Chirag’s campaign begins in Hajipur; Paras hints at Nitish’s return to NDA
Chirag Paswwan began his campaign in Hajipur, the seat his father Ramvilas Paswan represented eight times between 1977 and 2019 and is presently a bone of contention with his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras
Published on Jan 17, 2024 12:42 PM IST
Why Nitish’s refusal to take up the INDIA convenor post was expected
Congress should have been more proactive in taking INDIA bloc forward, but a message went down the line that it wasn't ready to cede space to regional parties
Published on Jan 16, 2024 08:19 PM IST
Pathak relinquishes edu dept charge after brief eventful tenure
A letter to this effect, dated January 9, sent by director, administration (education department) to chief secretary and others, has been circulating on the social media.
Published on Jan 11, 2024 09:44 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar: Modi likely to address meetings before national poll schedule announcement
Modi’s expected rallies are part of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leadership’s focus on the only heartland state where the party has been unable to form the government on its own
Published on Jan 10, 2024 03:11 PM IST
Bihar Guv assures VCs on edu dept’s ‘interference’
The Governor, who is also the Chancellor of state universities, also asked the VCs to act in a manner that their dignity is not compromised.
Published on Jan 09, 2024 10:07 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
‘Good people are hard to find’: Bihar governor on delays in state univ vacancies
Bihar governor Rajendra V Arlekar said he could appoint vice-chancellors of state universities on his own but wanted to do it in consultation with the CM
Updated on Jan 04, 2024 05:12 PM IST
JD(U), RJD engage in war of words over MLA’s poster on Ram Temple
The Bharatiya Janata Party said the RJD MLA’s poster was aimed at hurting Hindu sentiments with provocative remarks
Updated on Jan 02, 2024 05:03 PM IST
After 25 MLCs approach Guv, Raj Bhavan writes to govt to set Edu Deptt in order
A delegation of 25 MLCs alleged that the Bihar government’s education department through its actions seems to be bent upon destroying the academic environment in the state
Updated on Dec 27, 2023 08:17 PM IST
Shah lays down outreach plan for Bihar BJP leaders
Bihar BJP president Samrat Choudhary said that during interaction with party leaders at the state guest house after chairing the Eastern Zonal Council in Patna on Sunday, Shah told them all the leaders should be sent to the field with the objective of educating people about the work done by the Modi government.
Published on Dec 11, 2023 09:22 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Amit Shah told us to fan out with Modi govt’s work, says Bihar BJP chief
The Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is a nationwide campaign that aims to raise awareness, especially among rural populations, about government schemes
Published on Dec 11, 2023 04:31 PM IST
Brewers, sellers urge Bihar govt to lift liquor ban on Manipur lines, minister says no
In 2021 too, the CIABC had written to the Bihar government and leaders from all constituents of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the state to end prohibition in the state.
Published on Dec 07, 2023 08:46 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
CIABC writes to Bihar govt to lift ‘complete ban’ on liquor, minister refuses
Bihar prohibition and excise minister Sunil Kumar has said that prohibition was a policy decision of the state government after being unanimously passed by both Houses of the state legislature and there was no chance of it being withdrawn
Published on Dec 07, 2023 04:11 PM IST
Cong must heed Nitish call for fair deal to all: JD(U)
Nitish Kumar was the prime mover behind the formation of the anti-BJP bloc INDIA (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) earlier this year.
Published on Dec 05, 2023 09:21 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Nitish Kumar not to attend INDIA bloc meet as JD-U calls for fresh strategy
Kumar is the second senior opposition leader after his West Bengal counterpart, Mamata Banerjee, to likely stay away from the December 6 INDIA meeting
Published on Dec 05, 2023 12:40 PM IST
HC seeks Bihar’s reply on plea against quota hike
On November 9, the Bihar legislature had unanimously passed the two bills, which later received gubernatorial assent.
Published on Dec 01, 2023 09:19 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar: Teachers fume after edu dept’s latest order, MLC threatens privilege motion
The matter escalated after the education department issued orders on Wednesday to stop the salary and pension of Federation of University Teachers’ Association of Bihar (FUTAB) working president Kanhaiya Bahadur and general secretary Sanjay Kumar, also an MLC (member of the Legislative Council), for their remarks against the order that college and university teachers should also mandatorily take five classes each day and strike off names of students remaining absent for more than three days.
Published on Nov 30, 2023 09:18 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
BJP accuses Bihar govt of cutting school holidays on Hindu festivals
BJP leaders said that holidays on Hindu religious festivals have decreased while Muslim holidays have been increased in the Bihar education department’s new calendar
Published on Nov 28, 2023 07:08 PM IST
Sushil Modi cites SC, says laws under 9th schedule not above judicial review
The nine-judge bench had delivered a unanimous verdict on January 11, 2007 in Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu and others case, upholding the ‘Basic Structure Doctrine’
Published on Nov 24, 2023 11:12 AM IST
Ban Halal certified products in Bihar, Giriraj tells Nitish
The BJP leader and union minister urged the Bihar CM to take a leaf out of the book of the Yogi Adityanath government in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, which has banned such products.
Published on Nov 23, 2023 09:21 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Union minister Giriraj Singh writes to Bihar CM urging for ban on halal products
Singh said in a secular democracy like India, halal business is “not only against the Constitution but also treason”
Updated on Nov 23, 2023 04:00 PM IST
Special status demand like flogging a dead horse: Sushil Modi
“When the 14th Finance Commission has rejected the very concept of ‘special category status’ and it cannot be given to any state, the cabinet nod to send proposal to the Centre is a mere political stunt”
Published on Nov 22, 2023 09:30 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar notifies increase in caste-based quota to 65%
To be sure, the total quantum of reservation in jobs and educational institutions will stand at 75%, after taking into account the 10% quota for economically weaker sections
Updated on Nov 22, 2023 08:56 AM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar notifies quota hike after Governor signs bills
Under the new provisions, based on the findings of the landmark caste survey in the state, the quota for scheduled (SC) goes up to 20%, while that of scheduled tribe (ST) to 2%, extremely backward classes (EBC) to 25% and other backward classes (OBC) to 18%.
Updated on Nov 21, 2023 09:46 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Bihar government notifies quota hike after governor signs bills
Under the new provision the quota for Scheduled Caste (SC) goes up to 20%, while that of Scheduled Tribe (ST) to 2%, Extremely Backward Classes (EBC) to 25% and OBC to 18%
Published on Nov 21, 2023 04:25 PM IST
Became CM due to my foolishness: Nitish targets Manjhi in House
Manjhi become the chief minister in May 2014, when Kumar had stepped down owning moral responsibility for the JD(U)’s drubbing in the Lok Sabha elections
Published on Nov 10, 2023 01:33 PM IST
Bihar clears bill to raise caste quota from 50% to 65%
The proposal, however, may well end up before the courts since it breaches the 50% cap fixed by the Supreme Court in the 1992 Indra Sawhney case.
Updated on Nov 10, 2023 05:30 AM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna/new Delhi
Caste survey and quota hike: Bihar starts political churn ahead of 2024 polls
Experts weigh in on how the caste census data shared by Nitish Kumar can have an impact at a national level
Published on Nov 08, 2023 09:36 PM IST
Bihar: Assembly adjourned as sparks fly over CM’s remark
BJP legislators trooped into the well demanding resignation of CM for “obscene” remarks. Marshals were called in as some of the members also lifted reporters’ table and chair.
Published on Nov 08, 2023 09:25 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna
Nitish backs 75% total quota as survey outlines inequality
The Bihar CM announced plans to increase reservation to 75% after a landmark caste survey revealed the economic disparities among different communities.
Updated on Nov 08, 2023 05:12 AM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna/new Delhi
Bihar cabinet clears quota hike to 75%, Bill likely today
Chief minister Nitish Kumar told the state assembly that his government would bring a Bill in the ongoing winter session of the legislature to effect the quota hike
Published on Nov 07, 2023 10:26 PM IST
Arun Kumar, Patna