PM tries to woo purvanchalis, accuses AAP for prejudice

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of being “prejudiced” against the Purvanchal community, a term used in reference

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of being “prejudiced” against the Purvanchal community, a term used in reference to people from east Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

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Addressing supporters at a rally in east Delhi’s Karkardooma, Modi referred to Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar’s statement on Sunday that buses from Patna have been denied permission to enter Delhi.

“I heard Nitish Kumar’s speech yesterday where he said that buses from Patna are not allowed to enter Delhi. What kind of prejudice do they have against Biharis that forces them to take such decisions?” the PM said without naming the either the ruling party in Delhi or its chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The densely populated east and northeast Delhi have a significant population of Purvanchalis living in areas such as Karawal Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Patparganj. The BJP is eyeing the support of the Purvanchal community, which played a decisive role in AAP’s sterling performance in the 2015 assembly elections in which the party had won 67 out of the 70 assembly segments.

The BJP referred to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s (without naming him) comment on “Bihari patients” last year and said, “These people say that Biharis buy a ₹500 ticket and come to Delhi and get treatment worth lakhs done here. This is their view about the people of Bihar,” the PM said.

Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari, too, had raised the issue at the rally and said that the CM had insulted the people of Purvanchal with his “₹500 ticket” comment.

He praised the community for its hard work and contribution in the country’s growth. Hitting out at the AAP (without naming it) the PM said, “Biharis work so hard and have played an important role in country and city’s development. But these people have such hatred for them. I feel pained by it.”