Bihar Education Minister Mewalal Chaudhary resigns after Opposition uproar

Mangalore Today News Network

Patna, Nov 19, 2020:    Newly-appointed Bihar Education Minister Mewalal Chaudhary resigned from his cabinet post on Thursday. His resignation comes after the opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal created a political furore over his appointment despite pending corruption charges.

 

Mewalal Chaudhary is accused of misusing his position as the vice-chancellor of Bhagalpur’s Sabaur Agriculture University in 2017 to influence the recruitment of 161 assistant professors and junior scientists. Mewalal Chaudhary is also facing corruption charges over the construction of a building on the Sabaur Agriculture University campus. He was also suspended from the party.

President Nath Kovind, during his tenure as the Governor of Bihar, had initiated a probe against Mewalal Chaudhary in 2017. Charges of corruption levelled against Chaudhary were later found to be true. Mewalal Chaudhary continues to refute all the allegations against him.

Rashtriya Janata Dal, the main opposition party in Bihar, had targeted the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government for a ‘tainted’ leader’s appointment as a cabinet minister.

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday accused CM Nitish Kumar of rewarding Mewalal Chaudhary for corruption.

“Has Chief Minister Nitish Kumar awarded Mewalal Choudhary for corruption and given him the freedom to loot?” he asked in a tweet.

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad, who is jailed in fodder scam cases, tweeted that while his son Tejashwi was committed to signing 10 lakh jobs in his first cabinet meeting, if he was voted to power, Nitish made his priorities clear by inducting into his cabinet a person who is facing charges of corruption. “Look at the irony, the BJP which was attacking the JD (U) over Mewalal until now, is silent today,” Prasad tweeted in Hindi.

In another social media post, the RJD accused Mewalal Chaudhary of ‘not even knowing the words to national anthem’.

In an old video posted by the RJD on Wednesday, Mewalal Choudhary can be seen singing Jana Gana Mana in what appears to be a school event. In the video, Choudhary could be seen singing the National Anthem, but he forgets words in between. “Bihar Education Minister Mevalal Chaudhary, accused of several corruption cases, does not even know the national anthem. Do you have any shame left, Nitish Kumar ji? Where have you sunk your conscience?” the RJD tweeted.

Courtesy:India Today