Karuna Kumari
Bettiah/Patna, Nov 21: Prashant Kishor on Friday ended a day-long silent fast at the historic Bhitiharwa Gandhi Ashram in West Champaran, framing it as an act of introspection and protest following Jan Suraaj’s poor showing in the Bihar assembly elections. Emerging from silence at 11:00 am, the Jan Suraaj founder delivered a scathing indictment of the newly formed NDA government, accusing it of “bluffing” voters and “undermining democracy”.
Kishor said the fast was a return to the movement’s origins. “The last few days have been challenging. People of Bihar have been bluffed during this election,” he said. “We decided to reflect from the same place where the Jan Suraaj movement began three and a half years ago, and where the hope for a positive change in Bihar first took shape.”
In a blistering attack on the ruling coalition, he alleged that the government had engaged in unprecedented voter manipulation. “This is the first time in independent India that votes of poor people were bought in a state election,” he said. “Lakh of women were given Rs10,000 even while voting was underway, with the promise of Rs2 lakh for families not paying income tax. This is an alarming trend for democracy.”
Kishor further alleged that the payments were made using contingency funds and even loans from the World Bank. “This is illegal and unconstitutional. If governments can buy votes through the state exchequer, they will never lose. We will keep fighting this,” he said.
New movement from January
Outlining the movement’s revival after the electoral setback, Kishor announced a large-scale mobilisation titled Bihar Navnirman Sankalp, beginning 15 January. The campaign will involve camps in all 1.18 lakh wards across 534 blocks, aimed at tracking whether the promised Rs2 lakh reaches the estimated 1.5 crore women who received the initial Rs10,000.
“This movement will run for the next 20 months,” he said. “I will spend one day in every block of Bihar, standing with people and being their voice.”
Kishor vowed to remain in Bihar and continue grassroots outreach. “My work will be to awaken society about its own strength and the importance of wise political choices,” he said.
He also announced that 90% of his income over the next five years, and “everything earned in the last 20 years except my Delhi home”, would be spent on the Jan Suraaj movement.
Appeal for public contributions
Kishor urged people from all sections of society to contribute financially. “Donate at least Rs1,000 per year,” he said. “If not individually, then collect from others and contribute.” He added that he would not meet anyone who has made no tangible contribution to the movement.
Sharp criticism of new NDA cabinet
Launching a direct attack on the newly sworn-in NDA cabinet, Kishor accused the government of promoting “dynasty politics and corruption”. “Nitish Kumar, Narendra Modi and Amit Shah have made ministers of people who are corrupt, who promote nepotism, who have criminal backgrounds,” he alleged. “People with no educational or political qualifications were made ministers. It is a mockery of Bihar.”
Support from party leadership
Jan Suraaj state president Manoj Bharti urged workers to remain active despite the electoral defeat. “Our job is to stay vigilant and raise the people’s voice,” he said.
Kishor began the fast on Thursday after offering floral tributes at the ashram, long associated with Mahatma Gandhi’s early Satyagraha. Throughout the day, party workers, district representatives and former candidates gathered at the site, where preparations for the silent vigil had been underway since morning.
