Bihar min firm on addressing Smriti Irani as ‘Dear’

Bihar Education Minister Ashok Choudhary on Wednesday firmly stood his ground on the issue of addressing Union HRD Smriti Irani as “dear” and cited several references, including that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the word to address singer Asha Bhosle.

Choudhary also posted on his Twitter account, a letter written by Union minister for Labour Bandaru Dattatreya to Irani using “dear”, and accused her of “double standards” on this count. “You accept ‘dear’ of others but have objection about me using the same,” Choudhary said. The Bihar minister retweeted US President Barack Obama’s tweet in the past where he had said the word “dear” is gender neutral, and advised Irani to refer to the ‘Wren and Martin’ grammar book. Choudhary, who is also Bihar Congress President, referred to an old tweet of Prime Minister Narendra Modi- “Dear@Ashabhosle Tai, pained on the unfortunate demise of your son. My thoughts are with you during this hour of grief.”