Inspired by the ongoing work carried out by poll strategist Prashant Kishor, six bureaucrats on May 2 joined the latter’s campaign Jan Suraj with an aim to bring change in society. Jan Suraj Padyatra was started on October 2, 2022, a march on foot across the State to connect people.
Out of the six, two were from the Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) and four from Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) having served on different posts in Bihar. They all were gathered at Jan Suraj office in Patna located at Patliputra Colony.
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The bureaucrats who joined the campaign include Suresh Sharma of 1985 batch officer (BPSC) from Gopalganj district who retired in 2015 as Joint Secretary health department. Lalan Singh Yadav of Munger district of 1981 batch officer (UPSC) retired in 2017. Mr. Yadav was District Magistrate (DM) of Katihar and Nawada. The last service was commissioner Saharsa.
Similarly, Ajay Kumar Dwivedi (BPSC) of 1981 batch served as special secretary in the cabinet department. He hails from West Champaran district and retired in 2015. Tulsi Hazra from East Champaran district is 1981 batch (BPSC) officer, retired in 2014 as administrator, Bettiah Raj.
Arvind Kumar Singh, former district magistrate of Purnea and Kaimur of 1981 batch officer (UPSC) retired in 2016 as secretary. Gopal Narayan Singh from Aurangabad of 1983 batch officer (BPSC) last served as deputy secretary rural works department and retired in 2014 also joined Jan Suraj.
Rakesh Kumar Mishra of (1986) batch IPS officer who has been associated with Jan Suraj since beginning introduced the bureaucrats. Mr. Mishra retired in 2020 as Director General (Home Guard), Bihar, and also served as Superintendent of Police (SP) in different districts like Aurangabad, Kaimur, Bettiah and Nawada. He also was Inspector-General (I-G) Darbhanga for two years besides being in Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
All former bureaucrats, who joined the Jan Suraj, praised the initiative of Prashant Mr. Kishor claiming that he is doing something different from others and awakening the people living in rural Bihar.
“Not all can hold people responsible for the poor development in their villages. Only a few people can dare to do this work. He has been educating people that if there was no development in the village it was not because of the government’s ignorance but the people who are voted to power,” Mr. Sharma said.
Addressing the way, a government functions in our democracy, Mr. Mishra said, “The Chief Minister, ministers and other officials should support each other. If there were clashes between bureaucrats and politicians, then no institution could function.”
Prashant Kishor was not available for comments as he was at his march in Vaishali district.
Mr. Kishor is touted to launch his political party before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. He recently tasted his first victory in Bihar politics when Afaq Ahmed, an independent candidate supported by Jan Suraj, won against the grand alliance candidate by 674 votes in the teachers’ legislative council bypoll last month.
