Don't try to politicise Bihar flood, Nitish tells Union Ministers

Patna, Aug 25 (UNI) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today advised the Union Ministers to desist from taking poltical advantage from the flood in the state and come forward to help the flood victims instead.

Speaking to reporters here, Mr Kumar said it was painful to note that some Union Ministers from Bihar were engaged in making baseless allegations against the NDA government on handling the flood situation.

He refuted the charges of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad that the NDA government did not try to seek assistance of Nepal through the Union government for initiating the repairing works of the breached Kosi embankment in Nepal territory, leading to inundation of vast chunk of areas in bordering districts of Bihar.

Mr Kumar said he talked to External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, seeking his intervention for starting the repairing works without loss of time.

'' On international relations affecting the national interests, there has always been unanimous view of all political parties, '' Mr Kumar maintained and said it was ironical that some Union Ministers were trying the project the distorted facts, just for political gains.

The Chief Minister said consensus had emerged for repairing works for the breached Kosi embankments in Nepal and it would begin soon. '' If the Nepal government seeks our help in providing relief to people marooned by the Kosi river, we will be ready to extend assistance, '' he added.

UNI KKS SJC RN2012