'If standing with poor during Corona crisis is deemed politics then so be it', Sanjay Jha defends Centre

Bihar Minister Sanjay Jha on Wednesday defended the Centre's decision to extend providing free grains to the poor, needy people under the PM Gariban Kalyan Anna Yojana until the end of Diwali, Chhath puja.

He further said that if the Prime Minister's decision to provide for the poor is deemed as politics then so be it and added that the decision has touched the people of Bihar.

"Our people have not seen a bigger crisis than Corona in their lives, if standing with the poor during this crisis is called politics then let it be so. The Prime Minister has stood up for the poor by giving free grains till Chatth puja," Jha told .

"Chhath is a festival of faith, it is the worship of the Sun which is done by the people of Bihar. It is an even bigger thing that the Prime Minister chose to write in Maithili and Bhojpuri to convey the message, it is a matter of pride for us," he added.

The Water Resources Department Minister further said that his ministry has made all provisions to ensure that flooding does not occur in the region in the monsoon season.

"We have taken all measures, although there is no control on monsoons we have done the majority of the work despite facing difficulties during the lockdown in the procurement of materials. There were some problems in Gandak barrage but it has been resolved now," he said.

Earlier last month, Jha had said that the Bihar government will approach the Ministry of External Affairs and apprise them of Nepal stopping flood-prevention works by them. Following this, labourers and a team of Bihar Water Resources Department went to Nepal to carry out repair work of Gandak dam after the two countries agreed for the same.

( With inputs from ANI )