Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday symbolising his frequent “U-turns”. In the purported joke, Gandhi narrated an incident where Nitish Kumar, after being sworn in as CM again, realised he had left his shawl at the Governor’s House. Returning to retrieve it, the Governor expressed surprise at his repeated appearances, alluding to Kumar’s numerous political shifts.
During a rally in Bihar’s Purnea, the Congress MP stated that “a little pressure is exerted, and he (Nitish Kumar) takes a U-turn”. He stated that the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ will continue to fight for social justice in Bihar and does not rely on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to achieve its goals.
#WATCH | Bihar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, “…A little pressure is exerted, and he (Nitish Kumar) makes a U-turn…” pic.twitter.com/NZdvRZVE5f
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2024
Speaking at a rally in Purnea district, where his ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ arrived during the day, Gandhi also stated that Dalits and backward classes do not receive adequate representation in all sectors of the country.
Gandhi stated that “both the BJP, as well as Nitish, oppose a caste-based census in the state. This is where he got stuck; the BJP offered him a way out, and he fell for it.”
“It is time to conduct an X-ray of India to determine its population. The first step towards social justice is to conduct a national X-ray. It is the alliance’s responsibility to provide social justice in Bihar. Nitish Kumar isn’t needed here. We will do our work here,” Gandhi continued.
#WATCH | Bihar: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi says, “…The time has come for an X-ray of India to ascertain the population in this country…The first step towards social justice is an X-ray of the country…It is the alliance’s responsibility to give social justice in Bihar.… pic.twitter.com/H1LOAQWmSU
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2024
Kumar took oath as Bihar’s chief minister for the ninth time on Sunday, abandoning the ‘Mahagathbandhan’ and the opposition bloc I.N.D.I.A. in favour of forming a new government with the BJP, which he had dumped less than 18 months ago.
“The ‘Mahagathbandhan’ (grand alliance) will fight for social justice in Bihar; we don’t require Nitish Kumar for that purpose, we don’t require him at all,” the leader of the Congress said.
“Our country needs a caste-based census to determine the exact population of Dalits, OBCs, and others,” Gandhi added, underscoring the necessity for demographic clarity.
Gandhi also addressed the situation in Manipur, describing it as experiencing an “atmosphere of civil war.” He criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not visiting the strife-torn state, highlighting the need for attention and resolution in the region.
