Denial of special status to Bihar irks BCC

Bihar Chamber of Commerce (BCC) on Saturday expressed anguish and shock over the denial of special category status to the state by the Centre.

BCC president O P Shah said after the constitution of the inter-ministerial group to take a decision on the
matter, people of the state have been hoping that the Centre would grant the status to Bihar and would frame special norms for the state at par with Uttranchal, Himachal Pradesh and North Eastern states.

"By denying the state its rightful claim, the Centre has once against exhibited its gross negligence to Bihar and the
Centre has once against failed to fulfill the constitutional obligation of a federal government, which does not allow any discrimnation to any state of the country," he alleged.

Shah said the people, the industry and trade of the state stands firmly behind Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in his effort to secure a special status to Bihar.