Nitish slams Channi over ‘bhaiya’ remark: Makes no sense

Reacting sharply to Channi's remarks, Nitish said, “Does it make any sense? Everyone knows people of Bihar and UP have been contributing immensely to Punjab's growth....a chief minister should not speak like that.”

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. (File)

Even as Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar called the “bhaiya” (referring to migrants) remarks by his Punjab counterpart Charanjeet Singh Channi “senseless”, and said the people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh contribute immensely to Punjab’s growth, a case each was registered in Patna and Muzaffarpur on Thursday against the Punjab Chief Minister.

Reacting sharply to Channi’s remarks, Nitish said, “Does it make any sense? Everyone knows people of Bihar and UP have been contributing immensely to Punjab’s growth….a chief minister should not speak like that.”

Nitish did not react to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s presence on the dais when Channi made the remarks.

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Addressing a rally in Punjab’s Ropar on Tuesday, Channi had said in Punjabi (translated): “Priyanka is Punjab’s daughter-in-law — she is our Punjaban. So Punjabis, get united. The bhaiyas from Bihar, UP and Delhi want to rule here. But we will not let them enter.”

Lambasting Channi, Union minister and BJP’s Lok Sabha MP from Bihar’s Begusarai, Giriraj Singh, told reporters, “People of Punjab respect us a lot because Bihar is the birthplace of Guru Govind Singh. I am appalled at the way Channi derided us, and Priyanka Gandhi was laughing.”

Bihar Industry minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said,”Bhaiyas of UP will teach the Congress a lesson in the ongoing UP Assembly elections.”

Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said: “We demand an immediate apology from Priyanka Gandhi. How can she laugh when Channi was saying that? Her forefathers belong to UP. If people of Bihar and UP living in Punjab go on strike, Punjab would be crippled. How can Channi forget that Bihar is the land of Guru Govind Singh?”

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Taking exception to Channi’s remarks, BJP Yuva Morcha vice-president Manish Singh lodged a case against Channi.

The second case was lodged by a Muzaffarpur man.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. Expertise He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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