Union minister Giriraj Singh’s ‘namak haraam’ remark at Bihar poll rally sparks controversy, JD(U) among critics

The JD(U), however, later said Singh’s remarks were contrary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “sabka saath, sabka vikas (striving together for everyone’s development)” slogan. The RJD went further in its criticism, saying the Union minister’s remarks were part of “the BJP’s plan to seek polarisation of votes”.

Narrating his purported conversation with a Muslim cleric, Singh said at the Arwal rally, “Humne kaha, ‘Ayushman card mila?’ Usne kaha, ‘haan mila’. Hamne kaha, ‘Hindu-Musalman hua?’ Usne kaha, ‘nahi’. Humne kaha, ‘bahut achha. Aapne hamko vote kiya tha?” Usne kaha, ‘haan diya tha’. Maine kaha, ‘Khuda ki naam lekar boliye’ to usne kaha, ‘nahi diya tha’. Hamne kaha, ‘Narendra Modi ne gaali diya tha, hamne gaali diya tha?’ Kaha, ‘nahi’. Maine kaha, ‘meri galti kya thi?’ Jo kisi ka upkaar na maane usse kya kahte hain? Namak haraam kahte hain. Humne kaha, ‘moulvi saheb, hamen namak haraamon ka vote nahi chahiye’ (I asked a Muslim cleric if he got the Ayushman card, and he said yes. I asked if there had been Hindu-Muslim conlict, and he said no. I said that’s good and asked if he voted for the BJP, and he said yes. But when I asked him to swear in the name of God, he admitted that he had not voted for us. I asked if Narendra Modi or I had used foul language against them, and he said no. Then, I asked what the BJP’s mistake was. What do you call such people? Betrayers. I said, ‘Moulvi saheb, we do not need the votes of betrayers’).”

Reacting to Singh’s remarks, JD(U) chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar, who was also present at the Arwal event, told The Indian Express: “What Giriraj Singh said was against PM Narendra Modi’s slogan: ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’. Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has also worked for inclusivity, not for votes.”

The RJD demanded that Singh be removed from the Union Cabinet. The party’s national spokesperson, Subodh Kumar Mehta, said, “PM Narendra Modi should immediately dismiss people like Singh from his Cabinet. But he will not do so, because the BJP largely believes in the politics of hatred. Come election, someone like Giriraj Singh will make provocative statements in a bid to polarise votes.”

Giriraj Singh has made controversial remarks against minorities on a number of occasions in the past. Speaking in Purnea in February 2020, he had said that “all Muslims” should have been sent to Pakistan at the time of Partition.

The Assembly election in Bihar will be held in two phases — November 6 and November 11. The results will be declared on November 14.

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