A blooper on the foundation plaque stuck out like a sore thumb as chief minister Nitish Kumar laid the foundation stone of the Sher Shah Suri Engineering College building at Sasaram, around 153 km south-west of Patna, on Monday.
The plaque mentioned the presence of former road construction minister and RJD MLA Illyas Hussain at the event.
However, Hussain currently in jail after having been sentenced to four years of rigorous imprisonment for the “bitumen scam” that took place in undivided Bihar.
Nitish laid the foundation stone via remote control from a higher secondary school at Kharari in Kargahar block of Rohtas district in the presence of several JDU leaders BJP ministers, legislators, leaders and government officials.
Industries, and science and technology minister Jai Kumar Singh, who hails from the region and presided over the programme, did not take calls from The Telegraph.
The plaque at the foundation stone-laying ceremony at Sher Shah Engineering College from Kargahar in Rohtas district on Monday. Picture by Sanjay Choudhary
However, a senior leader who was present at the programme said on condition of anonymity: “The blooper might have taken place because of short-sightedness by officials who made arrangements for the function, but it being overlooked by higher officials too, indicates lacklustre attitude towards detail.”
Speaking on the occasion, Nitish said that Bihar was a land of knowledge and the state government’s aim was to make it a centre of knowledge again.
Talking about naming engineering college after the famous medieval ruler Sher Shah Suri, the chief minister said: “Sher Shah died suddenly, but in the short span of his rule he arranged for better infrastructure, financial management, communication and land records among other things.”
Promising a good college building, the chief minister said over 9 acres has been allotted for the institute.
The revamped campus will include the college, separate hostels for boys and girls, auditorium, residences of teachers and staff, classrooms, laboratories, library and other facilities.
Expressing happiness at seeing the model of the proposed building, Nitish asked building construction department (BCD) officials to adhere to the model during its construction.
The engineering college is already functional and 735 students are studying in it.
Nitish asked students to stay away from an environment of bitterness and confrontation, which some people are trying to create in society. He requested people to maintain love, peace and brotherhood in society and respect all religions as these were mandatory for Bihar to regain its lost glory.
He also asked people present at the public meeting to take a pledge to educate their sons and daughters.
The chief minister also directed BCD officials to complete the construction work within the timeframe.
Earlier in the day the chief minister attended the third death anniversary of Ram Narayan Rai at Kushahi village in Kargahar block and unveiled his statue.
