After dacoit remark, Bihar minister apologises to Modi

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had completely disowned the controversial remark by Mastan on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 2017, 15:06 [IST]

Patna, March 1: Congress MLA from Purnia and Excise & Prohibition minister Abdul Jalil Mastan has apologised for his controversial statement on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Mastan told media that, "I apologise if my statement or statements of my people have hurt anyone."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar share lighter moments during 350th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Gobind Singh at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Image courtesy: PTI.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had completely disowned the controversial remark by Mastan on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. When asked to comment on the issue he had said, "It is wrong." Bihar CM's reaction came after PM spoke to him and wished him on his birthday which falls on March 1.

It has to be noted that Mastan had asked supporters to hit photo of PM with shoes to protest against demonetisation. He had got his supporters to hit PM's photo with shoes and slippers in Purnia. The video which has surfaced shows Mastan inciting supporters to do so and he is also heard using abusive language for PM. He had called PM a Naxalite too.

Aubul Jalil Mustan had said, "He is not PM. He is a Naxalite, he is a terrorist, he is a dacoit and he troubles people in various ways." This incident had occurred on February 22 at Armour constituency in Purnia when the Bihar minister had gone there to address a public meeting in protest of demonetisation.

Irked Bihar BJP leader, Sushil Kumar Modi, had said that party MLAs will raise the issue in both the houses of Bihar Assembly. The BJP MLAs on Wednesday raised slogans during the budget session of the assembly and also demanded Mastan's removal.

Interestingly Nitish Kumar is the only non-NDA chief minister who had backed PM's demonetisation and PM had also reciprocated the action by praising Nitish for imposing prohibition in Bihar. Prior to that both the leader had shared bitter relationship when in 2013 Narendra Modi was announced as Prime Minister candidate for NDA and consequently JD(U) had broken off with NDA for the same.

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