Crowd waits for two hours in the heat as Nitish reaches late for Jewar event

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar arrived late at the rally venue.

A crowd of over 300 locals, including women and children, waited for over two hours in the scorching heat without water for the chief minister to arrive. The organisers were running short on water and several people remained thirsty throughout the event.

Minimal arrangements of shelter and sitting were made for media persons. Cameras of all news channels were under direct sunlight. At the end of the programme, Kumar apologised for being late and blamed the organisers for not informing him about the timings.

“They (organisers) did not inform me that the programme was to start at 11 am. I would have reached earlier. I am pained to see so many people waiting in this hot wweather,” said Kumar.

The security personnel of Kumar also complained about mismanagement to the local police as unauthorised persons were entering the venue and trying to stand on the dais. At the end of the rally, Kumar awarded three local journalists who ‘do not drink’.

“I am happy to know that journalists of Jewar do not drink,” he said. A number of saints and maulanas also attended the rally and supported the liquor ban.

Several women also reached the venue saying that they want a ban on liquor sale in Jewar, which is the worst affected area.

“Jewar is at the border of Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Liquor is cheaper in Haryana and residents of Jewar are very fond of liquor. Smuggling of illicit liquor is a flourishing business here. I think we will vote for the party that will impose a ban on liquor,” said Sukhi Devi, a local resident.

The event also saw folk musicians from Bihar and UP entertaining the crowd.