Patna, March 21 Continuing a tradition set by his father, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's son, Nishant, visited the historical Gandhi Maidan here on Saturday to join thousands of people in offering prayers on the occasion of Eid.
Kumar, who is likely to step down soon after being elected to the Rajya Sabha, did not attend the Gandhi Maidan, where people offered prayers despite the morning drizzle. Instead, he visited several Sufi monasteries in the city to exchange greetings with community leaders and partake in the festive delicacies.
At Gandhi Maidan, Nishant, a 44-year-old who recently entered politics and joined the JD(U), led by his father, was warmly welcomed by the "namazis."
When approached by reporters at Gandhi Maidan, Nishant said, "I extend heartfelt Eid greetings on behalf of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. May Allah bless us."
Among the other dignitaries who joined the prayers at Gandhi Maidan was Ashok Choudhary, a national general secretary of the JD(U) and one of the most influential ministers in Nitish Kumar's cabinet.
Choudhary told reporters, "It is good to see that Nishant is following in his father's footsteps, who has always respected people of all faiths. I recall an incident: shortly after the 350th Prakash Parva was celebrated on a large scale in Patna, the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, I accompanied the Chief Minister on a tour of Punjab.
"The Sikhs were so moved by our Chief Minister's gesture that when we went to a Gurudwara in Ludhiana, they held his hand and kissed it, displaying the reverence they normally reserve for a holy man. That is the stature of our leader," said Choudhary.