'Arrogant' Nitish Kumar returned Rs 5 crore aid, says Narendra Modi in Bihar

Saharsa (Bihar), Aug 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he was hurt when an "arrogant" Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar returned the Rs.5-crore aid provided by Gujarat during the 2008 Kosi floods.

"The Bihar chief minister returned the money given to help the people affected by the Kosi floods; it hurt me," Modi said at a rally in Saharsa district.

Modi said he extended a helping hand to the flood victims but a top leader of Bihar stopped him from doing so.

"At the time of the Kosi tragedy, an arrogant leader was not worried about the pain and sufferings of the flood victims," the prime minister said in a veiled reference to the Bihar chief minister.

Modi said he then remained silent over the insult.

Miffed over the advertisements featuring him and then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi and referring to the aid provided by Gujarat during the 2008 Kosi floods, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had returned the Rs.5 crore given for the purpose.

Nitish Kumar had then said the Gujarat government's claim was uncivilised and against Indian culture.

"Nobody claims to bestowing favours on those who face tragedy caused by natural calamities," he said.

The advertisement, published in the name of dozens of people of Bihar now settled in Gujarat, projected Modi as a close friend of Nitish Kumar and highlighted his state's generous help after the devastating 2008 floods in Bihar.

Modi said the fear of the return of jungle raj was rattling Bihar once again. "A wind for change is blowing in Bihar. The wind is for BJP-led National Democratic Alliance," the prime minister said.

IANS