This story is from February 17, 2020

PATNA: Ruling JD(U) legislator Javed Iqbal Ansari on Monday came in support of the leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav ’s "Berozgaari Hatao Yatra", calling it a welcome initiative for highlighting the issue of unemployment and migration in the state.

Tejashwi has announced to begin his "Berojgari Hatao Yatra" from the Veterinary College ground here on February 23 with a view to expand his party RJD ’s support base among youths and students.

“What is wrong if Tejashwi has planned to take out a ‘yatra’ to raise the issue of unemployment and migration? Today, unemployment is a burning issue in each family, each household, each caste and each social group in Bihar . I support Tejashwi’s ‘yatra’ while rising above the party line because he is raising a real issue,” Ansari, who was in his home district Banka on Monday, told TOI over phone.

He said Tejashwi’s proposed ‘Yatra’ has raised a ray of hope among lakhs of unemployed youths in the state.

Ansari, who recently called on the incarcerated RJD chief Lalu Prasad at a Ranchi hospital to enquire about his health, even urged the JD(U) chief and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar to support Tejashwi’s ‘Yatra’ by rising above the party line.

“Nitish Kumar should come forward and tell Tejashwi that he supports his ‘Yatra’ because it is being held for a genuine cause of youths. As like all political parties in Bihar supported prohibition in the state, JD(U) chief should support ‘Berozgaari Yatra’ and join hands with Tejashwi to put a political pressure before the Centre on the issue of unemployment,” Ansari said.

Ansari’s move to support to ‘Berozgaari Yatra’ caused ripples in the state’s political circles especially in the ruling JD(U). The JD(U) state president Bashishtha Narain Singh, however, tried to play down his party’s MLC’s support to the yatra. “There is no importance of support of one individual to Tejashwi’s ‘Yatra'. It is just a tactic to gain some publicity. It is not going to affect the JD(U) at all,” Singh told newspersons.

Another JD(U) legislator Amarnath Gami too supported the cause of unemployment and expressed his concern over the state government’s failure to check migration of labourers to other states, but he clarified that he was noty in support of Tejashwi’s ‘Berozgaari Yatra.’

“No doubt, there is widespread unemployment in Bihar. If there is no unemployment, then people would not have left Bihar to work in other states. They are working in states like Maharashtra, Gujarat and Delhi despite facing humiliation there. No government has ever worked to address this issue in the state. All political parties will have to focus on the issue," Gami told TOI over phone.

To a question on Tejashwi’s Yatra, Gami said, “This gigantic problem would not be solved only by Tejashwi’s Yatra. Tejashwi should tell people as to what plan he has to solve the problem.”

Gami also claimed that he was currently not associated with any political party. “I am a JD(U) member only in the assembly. I will obey the JD(U)’s line only in the legislative house. Other places, I have freedom of expression,” Gami told TOI.

