Nine days after 23 children died from a poisoned lunch at their school in Bihar, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has issued his first public comments on the tragedy.
“I have a lot of regret and sorrow over what happened,” he said at a press conference. “We cannot bring back the children, but we will work hard to improve their village,” he said.
Mr Kumar’s ministers have alleged that the mid-day meal was deliberately poisoned as part of a political conspiracy to destabilize his government. The opposition has slammed the chief minister for “seeking cover” in that theory, and has asked repeatedly why he has not made the time to visit the village that was lacerated the disaster, though it is just 50 kms from the state capital of Patna.
“I don’t want to politicize this incident,” the chief minister responded, explaining that he was not well and unable to travel. “I don’t believe in just talking…I was working, not sitting at home,” he added.
Oil used to cook the fatal meal contained an agricultural insecticide that was five times the strength sold in the market place, a forensic report found.
But investigators say crucial answers are expected from the school headmistress, who was arrested today. Meena Devi’s husband supplied the school with its groceries. The couple disappeared when the children began vomiting on July 16.
Propagating the conspiracy theory, the Education Minister, PK Shahi, has said the principal’s husband is affiliated to an opposition party.
Mr Kumar, at a meeting earlier this week where he addressed party workers, told them that the two main opposition parties in the state are colluding to undermine his government. The BJP was his partner till he broke a 17-year alliance with it last month. Mr Kumar and his party say the BJP is now aligning with former chief minister Lalu Yadav and his Rashtriya Janata Dal or RJD.