Nitish Kumar strikes emotional chord at rally - Times of India

NEW DELHI: An ocean of humanity from without and a mini-Bihar from within, Ramlila Maidan on Sunday was the site where over 50,000 migrants from the state converged to give an audience to chief minister Nitish Kumar. Waving green flags sporting the Janata Dal (United) symbol, the arrow, and demanding special status for their state, participants applauded Kumar loudly. They said the huge rally raised hopes of finding better work and achieving economic stability back home. Most of Kumar's supporters were from the unorganized sector and comprised farm hands and construction workers. Over a hundred tailors from Old Delhi also arrived in a procession demanding better jobs. "Why can't we do the same embroidery in Bihar? The government should set up factories for skilled workers. We want to return to our land," Surendra Kumar, who hails from Sitamarhi district, said. His sentiments were echoed by several. "Youth in Bihar have no option but to migrate. Who wants to stay away from their family? We had to move because Bihar had nothing for us," said Shiv Shankar Sahu, a farm labourer from Jammu who travelled to attend the rally with 2,000 others. Alongside aspiration, there was also faith. "We know Nitish Kumar will change Bihar. I am waiting for the day when all Bihar labourers in Delhi can go home. We have a meagre income and end up spending all our money in the city," Ramanuj, a tailor in Kapashera who belongs to a small village in Sheikhpura, said. Kumar's speech struck an emotional chord with the gathering. When he said that being called a "Bihari" was no longer an insult, it cheered loudly. "Aj koi nahi kehta hat Bihari," Kumar said. "People ridicule us because we are from Bihar. But what would cities do without our labour force?" Raj Karan, a construction worker from Shakarpur, said. About 100 factory workers from Narela also attended the rally. They said if employment opportunities in Bihar improved they would advise youngsters against migrating. Before Kumar commenced his speech, a lone man in the crowd was seen waving a black cloth and shouting slogans against him. But he was booed out. Many groups reached the venue in colourful processions accompanying local party heads riding horses. Some danced to drum beats. Others brought large bouquets for their leader. Traffic moved slowly on all roads leading to Ramlila Maidan from 10am to 3pm despite diversions. via Top Stories - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNGkproxvOwoCttx8z-RSx3zqKbQfg&url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/Nitish-Kumar-strikes-emotional-chord-at-rally/articleshow/19027326.cms

Put the internet to work for you. via Personal Recipe 2953939