Patna: JD(U) state president Umesh Singh Kushwaha said on Wednesday that the need to protect Bihar’s interests in the renewal of the India-Bangladesh Ganga water-sharing treaty, scheduled for Dec 12, had gained national attention following his party’s ‘Nitish Dialogue’ campaign across the 12 districts through which the Ganga flows in the state.Kushwaha was addressing a meeting of prominent citizens, members of the intelligentsia and JD(U) workers in Katihar. The meeting marked the culmination of the three-phase campaign, which began in Buxar on Sept 5.The first phase covered Buxar, Ara, Begusarai and Khagaria, while the second was held in Chapra, Vaishali, Samastipur and Patna. The third phase covered Lakhisarai, Munger, Bhagalpur and Katihar. With Wednesday’s meeting, the party completed its campaign across all 12 districts along the Ganga.“In all these districts, the campaign evoked a huge popular response, with people participating above party affiliations,” Kushwaha said. He claimed that the campaign had helped bring the need to protect Bihar’s interests during the treaty renewal into the national spotlight, including the attention of the central govt.He said the JD(U) had consistently raised issues concerning the state and public interest and had periodically campaigned on matters of social concern. Citing examples, Kushwaha referred to the state govt’s efforts to eradicate child marriage, enforce prohibition and implement the Jal-Jeevan-Hariyali campaign to increase green cover and protect the environment.On the Ganga water-sharing treaty, Kushwaha said JD(U) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha had first raised the issue in Parliament, following which the party organised the Nitish Dialogue campaign across the 12 districts.
