PM asks Biharis to shed casteism, says committed to state’s development

Reaching out to the voters of Bihar ahead of the Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked the people of the state to rise above caste considerations and support the most virtuous. <g data-gr-id="29">Inaugurating</g> the golden jubilee celebrations of acclaimed poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's works, the Prime Minister said he was committed to taking forward his vision of progress and prosperity to the state without which India's development was incomplete. Noting that while west India has prosperity, the eastern part has wisdom, Modi said the two regions of the country can have an equal share in <g data-gr-id="32">development</g> of the country. Referring to a letter written by Dinkar in 1961, Modi said the poet was of the view that Bihar will have to "forget" the caste system and "follow the virtuous". "You cannot rule with the help of one or two <g data-gr-id="31">castes</g>...if you do not rise above caste, Bihar's social development will suffer," he said quoting Dinkar's letter.