'People Of Bihar Will Not Forgive': UP Minister Slams Congress Over 'Bidi-Bihar' Remark

(MENAFN- IANS) Lucknow, Sep 5 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Tourism Minister Jaiveer Singh on Friday lashed out at the Congress over its Kerala unit's controversial 'Bidi-Bihar' remark, calling it an insult to the people of Bihar, as such a statement was not only offensive but also“a crime,” and asserting that the people of Bihar will never forgive the opposition party for it.

Speaking to IANS, the BJP leader said: "Comparing Bihar with 'bidi' is nothing short of a crime. Bihar is no longer the state it was once stereotyped to be. It has transformed significantly across all sectors - education, employment, and infrastructure. Bihar has always been a centre of learning, and its people are among the most hardest-working in the country."

"Are they (the Congress) trying to say the people of Bihar are drug addicts? What kind of mentality is this? No matter where Biharis live, they work for the betterment of their communities. The Congress should be ashamed. The people of Bihar will never forget or forgive this insult."

The sharp reaction came after the Congress's Kerala unit posted a controversial social media post drawing a comparison between Bihar and bidis in a sarcastic attack on the BJP's recent GST 2.0 reforms. The post sparked political outrage across party lines, prompting the Congress to issue a clarification and apology. In a follow-up post on X, the party claimed the jibe was being "twisted" and did not intend to hurt sentiments.

Reacting to the Centre's new GST reforms, Jaiveer Singh hailed the move as“historic” and said the Opposition had no right to criticise it.

“When GST was introduced, the Opposition made tall claims about reform. But during their decades in power, they failed to act. Our government corrected those shortcomings. This GST 2.0 will benefit everyone - farmers, MSMEs, and consumers. It's a Diwali gift to the nation,” he said.

He further reacted to the dramatic scenes in the West Bengal Assembly on Thursday, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a fiery tirade against the BJP, accusing the party of corruption and intimidation.

"Repeatedly, Opposition leaders are resorting to personal attacks against Prime Minister Modi and the BJP. There's no problem in having different political views, but using abusive language to incite divisions is dangerous. Whether it's Mamata Banerjee, the RJD, or Congress leaders - it's clear they are frustrated. But the country will not tolerate such negativity."

Banerjee had said that the BJP is "a party of the corrupt, a party of vote thieves. They are the biggest dacoit party. We saw in Parliament how they used the CISF to harass our MPs. Bangla-birodi BJP hatao desh bachao (remove anti-Bengal BJP, save the country)".

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