Nitish targets PM, launches ‘take back words’ campaign
11 Aug 2015 5:55 AM IST
A day after the Prime Minister mounted a scathing attack on the “politically opportunistic” JD(U)-RJD alliance in Bihar, Kumar announced on Twitter the launch of the ‘shabad <g data-gr-id="54">wapsi</g>’ campaign under which 50 lakh people would send their samples to the Prime Minister for DNA test. The Bihar Chief Minister said his party would organise 4-5 “Swambhiman (self-respect) rallies” across the state to put pressure on Modi to take back his DNA remark, which he said, had “hurt” people in the state.
The first rally under the series would be held in Patna on August 29, he said in an another tweet.
Addressing BJP’s first “Parivartan rally” at Muzaffarpur on July 25, the PM had made the “DNA” comment against Kumar. The Chief Minister said the campaign had been decided as “<g data-gr-id="47">inspite</g> of repeated pleas Modiji hadn’t retracted his derogatory remarks on our DNA.”
Describing the PM’s DNA remark as “an insult of people of Bihar”, he said since the masses are supreme in a democracy “now they would decide the issue.” Kumar said they would knock every door in the state as part of this campaign. In September as part of <g data-gr-id="56">second</g> phase of the campaign, 50 lakh samples for DNA test would be sent to the PM, he added.
The DNA barb has triggered <g data-gr-id="44">war</g> of words between NDA and secular alliance, pitted against each other in coming Bihar poll. While Kumar and Lalu Prasad were trying to link it with “pride” of the state, the BJP and its allies have said the PM had talked about Kumar’s “political DNA” marked with incidents of “betraying” friends and allies.
Nitish making political capital out of PM’s <g data-gr-id="40">remarks :</g> BJP
The BJP on Monday hit out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for needlessly making an issue out of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's DNA and BIMARU remarks.
Charging the chief minister with trying to divert attention from real issues like his government's performance over the past 25 months, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a statement, "At a time when the people of Bihar are asking for accounts of his government's performance over past 25 months, Kumar is needlessly making an issue out of the PM's DNA and BIMARU remarks to deflect focus."
Modi ridiculed the chief minister for launching a campaign 'Take back Word' under which 50 lakh people from Bihar will send samples of their DNA to the Prime Minister "to compel him to withdraw his DNA remark on Kumar" at a rally in Muzaffarpur on July 25 last. Sushil Modi asked the senior JD(U) leader to show patience for a little over two months as people will 'report back' on the former's 'political DNA'.
Describing Kumar's 'Take Back Word' campaign as a costly exercise in which over Rs 3000 crore will be required to conduct DNA test of 50 lakh people, the former deputy chief minister sought to know the source of funding for it.
The chief minister should clarify whether exorbitant expenditure on DNA test of 50 lakh people will be borne by the state government through its '<g data-gr-id="37">Badh</g> Chala Bihar (Bihar Marching Ahead) campaign or the JD(U), he asked.
Modi <g data-gr-id="48">flayed</g> the senior JD(U) leader for harping on the PM's remark as an insult to pride of Bihar and said that if it was so, then why has he aligned with the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad during whose 15-year rule it became a matter of shame to be called a Bihari. Charging Kumar with sticking to power with the help of Bhujangs (snakes) with reference to the RJD supremo, Modi said the BJP will go to the polls to seek mandate of people on its twin agendas - crime control and <g data-gr-id="49">fast tracking</g> development.
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