Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar accused his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi of bluffing and peddling false statements for effect to score political points, hitting back two days after being ridiculed by the BJP’s prime ministerial nominee.
“A man who aspires to the high post should have patience and not be excitable,” Nitish said at the Janata Dal (United) convention in Rajgir on Tuesday and went on to give a point-by-point rebuttal of Narendra Modi’s attack on him at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s rally in Patna on Sunday. “His Red Fort dream will remain a dream.”
Nitish said the biggest challenge before the country was not merely communalism but that of fascism, which is rearing its head under divisive forces.
The BJP leader had urged people to “uproot the backstabbers”, a reference to the acrimonious split between the saffron party and the JD-U. “This is not how democracy functions. This is the language of Hitler, of a person who brooks no opposition,” he said while asking people to maintain harmony.
The JD-U leader even took a dig at the name of BJP’s mega rally, “BJP's hunkar (battle cry) rally reflects their arrogance. These are all fascist characteristics. Hitler's associate, Goebbels had said if you tell a lie many times, it appears to be the truth. This is what they do.”
The Bihar chief minister said Modi’s statements were a figment of his imagination. “We were not seated at the same table at any lunch hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. That tale is a lie just as the party saying that wind’s blowing in Modi’s favour,” he said.
Nitish was referring to Modi’s statement that the Bihar CM was a hypocrite for refusing to eat while sitting on the same table with him because he was possibly afraid of being photographed.
The JD-U leader also slammed Modi for saying he had abandoned Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP. “Who left JP? Why was it said? Just for rhyming JP and BJP.”
On Sunday, referring to Nitish, Modi had said, “People in Bihar are not opportunistic, except a few.”
“If the BJP was so hurt, why did the party fight 2010 elections in alliance with the JD-U? Because they could not do without our party. So, tell me, who is opportunistic? It was the BJP that betrayed us and weakened the anti-Congress forces.”
Nitish was instrumental in getting the JD-U to sever a 17-year-old alliance with the BJP in June following Modi’s elevation — first as the saffron party’s campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and then as its PM face.
Modi had said at the Sunday rally that he sold tea on a railway platform and understood how poor lived. “I may not have sold tea on a platform but I am also a common man. I come from a family of small farmers and my father was a freedom fighter. You don’t have to be backward to understand people’s pain, you have to work for their upliftment.”
Modi had never referred to Nitish by name at his Patna rally and the Bihar CM paid back in the same coin.
Nitish also punched holes in “historic claims” made by the Gujarat CM during his rally. “The man (Modi) has an amazing grasp of history. He should know Chandragupta was of Maurya dynasty, not of Gupta dynasty. Neither is Takshashila in Bihar, as Modi said, it is situated in Pakistan.” Nitish said Modi may believe that Alexander was defeated by Biharis but history says the Greek king never reached Bihar.
He took pot-shots at the BJP’s propensity to invoke Lord Ram’s name at his rallies. “Ram is not an acting member of your party. The BJP should remember that Lord Ram and Krishna united the country and didn’t belong to any caste or party.”
Nitish refuted claims that the Hunkar rally was the biggest show of strength seen at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan till date. “Nobody can beat our rally in Patna last year, which was for Biharis and not for an individual.”
He said he was saddened by the blasts which took place on the day of the rally. “My former friends in the BJP accuse me of failing to provide adequate security for BJP Patna rally. I had told all agencies in the state to provide the best possible security.”
About the party’s plans for the approaching general elections, the Bihar CM said the party is asking for special status for Bihar. “Special status for Bihar will be JD-U's main issue in 2014 polls. Bihar isn't begging for special status. It's our right.”
“A man who aspires to the high post should have patience and not be excitable,” Nitish said at the Janata Dal (United) convention in Rajgir on Tuesday and went on to give a point-by-point rebuttal of Narendra Modi’s attack on him at the Bharatiya Janata Party’s rally in Patna on Sunday. “His Red Fort dream will remain a dream.”
Nitish said the biggest challenge before the country was not merely communalism but that of fascism, which is rearing its head under divisive forces.
The BJP leader had urged people to “uproot the backstabbers”, a reference to the acrimonious split between the saffron party and the JD-U. “This is not how democracy functions. This is the language of Hitler, of a person who brooks no opposition,” he said while asking people to maintain harmony.
The JD-U leader even took a dig at the name of BJP’s mega rally, “BJP's hunkar (battle cry) rally reflects their arrogance. These are all fascist characteristics. Hitler's associate, Goebbels had said if you tell a lie many times, it appears to be the truth. This is what they do.”
The Bihar chief minister said Modi’s statements were a figment of his imagination. “We were not seated at the same table at any lunch hosted by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. That tale is a lie just as the party saying that wind’s blowing in Modi’s favour,” he said.
Nitish was referring to Modi’s statement that the Bihar CM was a hypocrite for refusing to eat while sitting on the same table with him because he was possibly afraid of being photographed.
The JD-U leader also slammed Modi for saying he had abandoned Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan, popularly known as JP. “Who left JP? Why was it said? Just for rhyming JP and BJP.”
On Sunday, referring to Nitish, Modi had said, “People in Bihar are not opportunistic, except a few.”
“If the BJP was so hurt, why did the party fight 2010 elections in alliance with the JD-U? Because they could not do without our party. So, tell me, who is opportunistic? It was the BJP that betrayed us and weakened the anti-Congress forces.”
Nitish was instrumental in getting the JD-U to sever a 17-year-old alliance with the BJP in June following Modi’s elevation — first as the saffron party’s campaign committee chief for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and then as its PM face.
Modi had said at the Sunday rally that he sold tea on a railway platform and understood how poor lived. “I may not have sold tea on a platform but I am also a common man. I come from a family of small farmers and my father was a freedom fighter. You don’t have to be backward to understand people’s pain, you have to work for their upliftment.”
Modi had never referred to Nitish by name at his Patna rally and the Bihar CM paid back in the same coin.
Nitish also punched holes in “historic claims” made by the Gujarat CM during his rally. “The man (Modi) has an amazing grasp of history. He should know Chandragupta was of Maurya dynasty, not of Gupta dynasty. Neither is Takshashila in Bihar, as Modi said, it is situated in Pakistan.” Nitish said Modi may believe that Alexander was defeated by Biharis but history says the Greek king never reached Bihar.
He took pot-shots at the BJP’s propensity to invoke Lord Ram’s name at his rallies. “Ram is not an acting member of your party. The BJP should remember that Lord Ram and Krishna united the country and didn’t belong to any caste or party.”
Nitish refuted claims that the Hunkar rally was the biggest show of strength seen at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan till date. “Nobody can beat our rally in Patna last year, which was for Biharis and not for an individual.”
He said he was saddened by the blasts which took place on the day of the rally. “My former friends in the BJP accuse me of failing to provide adequate security for BJP Patna rally. I had told all agencies in the state to provide the best possible security.”
About the party’s plans for the approaching general elections, the Bihar CM said the party is asking for special status for Bihar. “Special status for Bihar will be JD-U's main issue in 2014 polls. Bihar isn't begging for special status. It's our right.”
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