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KOTA/AGRA/PATNA: The UP government’s move to send 250 buses to bring back students stranded in Rajasthan’s ‘coaching city’ Kota ran into controversy after Bihar CM Nitish Kumar objected the initiative, saying “it’s an injustice to the principle of the lockdown” imposed to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus pandemic across the country.The BJP government in UP was the first to respond to the #SendUsBackHome social media campaign, launched on Tuesday by students stuck at coaching centres in Kota. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot called upon other states to follow the UP government’s initiative. “As the UP govt called back students of UP living in #Kota #Rajasthan, it can also be done for students from other states…” he tweeted.However, this did not go down well with Nitish, a key ally of the ruling BJP. “The way special buses are being sent to ferry students from Kota, it is injustice with the principle of the lockdown,” he told NDTV.A close aide of the Bihar CM said Nitish was of the view that governments can’t show biases at times of crisis such as this. “No government can be selective in reaching out to its people during crisis. If migrant workers are being asked to stop wherever they are, so should be the direction for others as well...even a minor loose-end can lead to catastrophe,” Nitish’s aide said.On April 13, Bihar chief secretary Deepak Kumar had raised objections to Bihar-based students being sent back from Kota.More than 35,000 students from across the country, preparing for medical and engineering entrance exams at the 30-odd coaching institutes in Kota, are stuck in hostels and PG rooms following the enforcement of the nationwide lockdown. Nearly 7,500 students from UP, staying in hostels and PG accommodations, were getting worried over not being able to get back home.They grew more anxious after a 17-year-old NEET aspirant from Bharatpur, who was also studying in Kota and staying at a hostel there, tested positive on Thursday. He had returned to his home district three days ago. Intensive sanitisation and screening of the hostel where he stayed has been done, officials said.The buses from UP are likely to start taking the students to their hometowns after completion of thermal screening by Friday night. Social distancing rules will be strictly followed in the buses, state government officials in charge of the operations said, adding only 30 students will be allowed in a vehicle.“Kota district administration has also arranged nearly 100 buses to be used for sending the students back home in case the number of buses from UP falls short,” an official said.“We have enlisted the students district wise to board the buses. They will be provided with masks, sanitisers and food packets,” Nitesh Sharma of Allen Career Institute said.