Union minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday withdrew his controversial remark directed at Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha after sharp criticism.
“At the outset, let me clarify that there is absolutely no intention of insulting either Bihar or the people of Bihar. And if it has hurt anybody, I will immediately withdraw that statement. It was not made with any malice to anybody at all,” said the minister.
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Goyal made the remark on Tuesday when Jha was speaking during a discussion on the Appropriation Bill seeking Parliament’s nod for additional spending, PTI reported.
As Jha said the government should devote equal attention to the poor and corporate houses, Goyal responded by saying “inka bas chale to desh ko Bihar bana dein (if they have their way, they will turn the country into Bihar).”
Jha while retorting back to Goyal’s comment requested him to limit his criticism to the MP but not insult the state of Bihar and on Wednesday, he posted a letter to the chairman of the Upper House Jagdeep Dhankhar urging him to look into the matter terming it as ‘demeaning’ while alleging that the union minister’s comments smacked of ‘elitism’.
“One would have thought it is impossible that a member of the rank of the leader of this esteemed House would make a statement demeaning one of the greatest states of the Union of India. As the leader of the House of Rajya Sabha, or as it is referred to in the constitution, the council of the states, Piyush Goyal should ponder and reflect on whether the sneering tone with which he speaks about Bihar is appropriate,” Jha’s letter read.
{{/usCountry}}“One would have thought it is impossible that a member of the rank of the leader of this esteemed House would make a statement demeaning one of the greatest states of the Union of India. As the leader of the House of Rajya Sabha, or as it is referred to in the constitution, the council of the states, Piyush Goyal should ponder and reflect on whether the sneering tone with which he speaks about Bihar is appropriate,” Jha’s letter read.
{{/usCountry}}He urged chairman Dhankhar to expunge Goyal’s statement and ensure that ‘no other state is subjected to such treatment by the union government’.
Leader of the opposition and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge too joined Jha in demanding an apology from Goyal.