Nitish Kumar pays tribute to Maulana on birthday eve

Patna: Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday paid rich tributes to Maulana Abul Kalam Azad on his birth anniversary and recalled the late leader’s efforts towards maintaining communal harmony during the partition era.

Mr Kumar also recalled the contributions made by Azad in the education sector as the country’s first education minister.

“With Independence came partition which had led to an atmosphere of communal tension across the country.”

“Not only did Azad play a role in reducing the tension, but he also succeeded in instilling the faith among the minorities that the country belonged to them as well and they must stay here”, Mr Kumar said while addressing a function organized on the occasion of “Shiksha Diwas” (education day).

“We have been observing Maulana Azad’s birth anniversary as Shiksha Diwas since the year 2007.”

“As the first Education minister of the country, his contributions can never be forgotten. It was during his tenure that institutions like UGC and IIT came into being,” he said.