BJP seeks Nitish Kumar's apology for betraying madate in 2010

Patna, Aug 12: Throwing a spanner at Nitish Kumar's 'Shabd Wapsi' (take back your words) campaign, the BJP on Wednesday said that it can urge the Prime Minister to withdraw the 'DNA' remark if the Bihar CM publicly apologises for the betrayal of mandate to the NDA in 2010, besides other issues.

"We can urge the Prime Minister Modi to withdraw his 'DNA remark' against Kumar which was said in political context, but for that Kumar must apologise for betrayal of mandate to the NDA in 2010 and cancellation of dinner for the saffron party leaders among 12-point demands," the senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said while addressing a joint press conference by the BJP, HAM (Secular) and RLSP leaders.

Defending PM's 'DNA' remark, the former deputy chief minister said that it was made in a political context for the history of betrayal, deceit and cheating by Bihar CM and not aimed at the people of Bihar as the latter was trying to make out by launching 'take back DNA remark' campaign against Modi. "The truth always tastes bitter," Modi said.

JD(U) on Monday rolled out its 'Shabd Wapsi' (take back your words) campaign as part of which DNA samples along with signatures will be sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding that he retracts his DNA barb against Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Modi also said that the senior JD(U) leader is rattled by the Prime Minister's successful rallies at Muzaffarpur and Gaya, besides unprecedented response to the BJP's 'Parivartan Rath' which was flagged off in different parts of the state by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari and Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghuvar Das.

However, the BJP was open to the idea of prevailing upon the Prime Minister to withdraw his DNA remark against the Chief Minister if he apologised for joining forces with the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad during whose party's rule spate of massacres and Bhagalpur riots had taken place, the former deputy chief minister said.

BJP wants Nitish to apologise for betraying mandate to the NDA in 2010

The BJP also wants Kumar to apologise to his immediate predecessor Jitan Ram Manjhi for removing him after initially promising that the mahadalit leader will retain the Chief Minister's post till the next Assembly polls, but displaced him midway to get an opportunity to inaugurate completed infrastructure projects and inaugurate new ones to refurbish his image in the run up to the polls, Modi said.

He said that the senior JD(U) leader must also apologise to the kin of victims of Bhagalpur riots which had taken place during the Congress rule in late 1989 and many of perpetrators were acquitted of charges by the RJD governments as Kumar has joined the same political forces (Congress and RJD) for power.

The senior BJP leader asked Kumar to seek forgiveness from lakhs of people who had to migrate outside for dear life due to prevalence of 'jungle raj' during the RJD rule for 15 years.

PTI