All eyes on Modi after Kumar advent protest

PATNA - A day after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed his anger over an advertisement showing him and Gujarat Chief Minister Narender Modi holding hands aloft on a stage two years ago, all eyes are on Modi as there is an expectation that he may react in a telling manner.

Kumar has since maintained an arm’s length from Modi, and said the latter was seeking to gain mileage from aid provided to Kosi River flood victims.

“Whosoever has issued (published) my photograph, I have taken it very seriously. I will adopt the course of possible legal action and during (flood) relief time whatever donation is made that is not drummed up. It is against Indian culture,” said an irate Kumar.

Kumar, however, said it would not impact the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar.

“The work of Bihar (unit of) BJP in tandem with us is in front of everybody. We have had a longstanding relationship with the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar. We were together without power and we have formed the government together. My experience with them is very good,” said Kumar.

“We are working together, and, I have no complaints against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Bihar. They have not given me any chance to complain,” he added.

Meanwhile, opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has challenged Kumar to sever ties with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“If Nitish Kumar has any semblance of honesty or secular character, he should take a decision today or tomorrow not to go with the BJP in polls,” said Yadav.

The advertisement, issued by the Gujarat Government, and published in newspapers in Patna ahead of Modi’s rally in the city, also showed burqa-clad girls learning computers, suggesting that Modi was doing his bit to improve the lot of minority Muslims.

Gujarat Government spokesperson Jai Narayan Vyas said the advertisement has been blown out of proportion.

“Now, even the Sachar Committee has accepted that the status of minority, lifestyle of minority, the way they live Gujarat, the way they have made progress, the way they achieved in Gujarat, is far better than anywhere in the country,” Vyas.

“The entire issue is being diverted to a trivial issue of copyright violation and if it is so it could be obviously argued in an appropriate forum,” he added. (ANI)