JD-U hits back at Shah, says nervous after Oppn unity meet

The ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) in Bihar on Thursday lashed out at union home minister Amit Shah, soon after he described chief minister Nitish Kumar as “paltu (one who takes frequent U-turns)” and called the June 23 Opposition unity meeting in Patna a gathering of “dynasts soaked in corruption”.

JD-U chief spokesman and MLC Neeraj Kumar said, “It does not behove of a home minister to make such disparaging remarks against an elected CM. I am forced to say Shah is himself an expert in linguistic hatred and language corruption. He will get tit for tat if he does not improve his language while addressing a CM. He peddles lies in his speech and the Bihar people are politically too smart for him,” he said.

JD-U national spokesman Rajiv Ranjan said Shah’s speech was devoid of facts and more of rhetoric, aimed solely at maligning the state’s image. “Imagine, even a kid knows whose brainchild it has been to come up with jal-nal scheme in Bihar and when did the work on it start? He says the Centre is doing it. He appeared nervous all through his speech, which may be due to the realisation about the prospect of the BJP in 2024,” he said.

Ranjan said it is unfortunate that the home minister does not get his facts properly verified. “He said the Centre has got medical and engineering colleges built in Munger. It is the state that gave money for the colleges. The fact is that Nitish Kumar’s initiative to unite non-BJP parties has unnerved him,” said Neeraj Kumar.

However, Rajya Sabha member and BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said that the Centre had approved eight medical colleges in different districts of the state. “The Centre gives certain funds and the state government has to give its share,”’he said.

Neeraj Kumar said Shah’s public meeting at Lakhisarai has made it clear that BJP is trying to take on JD-U national president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, who represents Munger Lok Sabha seat, but they should also disclose the name of their candidate. Lakhisarai is a part of Munger Lok Sabha constituency.

RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari said that ever since BJP was stripped of power in Bihar in August last year, Shah has been remembering Bihar far too frequently, but now the time is running out for the party at the Centre.