Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday tore into his Gujarat counterpart Narendra Modi over his remarks that 'casteist' leaders had pushed this state to economic backwardness, saying it was like a typical case of a pot calling the kettle black.
Kumar also said that Modi, who has been a constant irritant in the JD(U)-BJP coalition ties in Bihar, should mind his own business instead of making comments on others.
"One should think about one's own situation (Bihar par tippani karne walon ko apne halaat ke bare me sochana chahiye)", he told reporters in reply to a question when asked for his reaction to Modi's remarks targeting Bihar leaders.
Without taking Modi's name, Kumar referred to two vernacular proverbs to buttress his point in an apparent rebuke of the BJP strongman from Gujarat for casting aspersions on others when he himself faced crisis in the party and in public life. He said that it was like a pot calling the kettle black.
When asked to elaborate, the Chief Minister quipped that he was not in the habit of making comments about others and left the media persons to interpret his reaction to Modi's comments on Bihar politicians.
"It is for you (media) to interpret my comments." Rejecting Modi's contention about backwardness and lack of economic development in Bihar, Kumar said the state has been marching on the path of development by taking care of various adversities and problems dogging it over the years.
"Bihar has been a place of learning since ancient times." The Gujarat Chief Minister had at the state BJP executive meeting in Rajkot yesterday attacked the Bihar politicians for their 'casteist' outlook and attributed it as the main reason of economic backwardness and lack of development in Bihar.
Hitting back at Modi, JD-U chief Sharad Yadav said that casteism exists even in Gujarat like elsewhere in the country. Yadav, who is also the convener of NDA, also said that Gujarat "is not ahead (in development) because of any individual" but due to its geographical location.
"Gujarat is not ahead because of any individual but due to its geographical location. Gujarat has not developed today but it was also developed during the British period like all other cities on the seashore..."
"People have a poor standing of history and hence talk regarding it in their own way for temporary political gains but caste is a reality. Is Gujarat casteless? Which part of the country is out of caste influence?," Yadav said in New Delhi.
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