PATNA, Oct 19: Union minister Giriraj Singh has once again courted controversy by making a scathing remark against a minority community, saying that he doesn’t need the votes of ‘namak haraams’ (betrayers).
He made the remark while addressing a public rally in Bihar’s Arwal district on Saturday.
The BJP MP from Begusarai said, “Once I asked a ‘maulvi’ (cleric) whether he had Ayushman Bharat health card and he replied in the affirmative. I asked whether such cards were distributed on the basis of Hindu-Muslim and he replied in the negative.”
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“When I asked him whether he had voted for me, he replied in the affirmative but when I asked him to swear on Khuda (God), he said no, he didn’t. Muslims take the benefits of all central schemes but don’t vote for us… Such people are called ‘namak haraam’. I told maulvi sahab that I don’t want votes of ‘namak haraams’,” he added.
The BJP leader also said that he asked the Muslim cleric whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi had abused him, to which he replied in the negative.
“I also asked him whether I had insulted him, to which he said ‘no’. Then I asked him what my fault was that he did not vote for me. Someone who doesn’t acknowledge kindness is called ‘namak haraam’,” the Union minister said.
The NDA government has done a lot of infrastructural work for the overall development of Bihar, Singh said.
“Roads have been built in Bihar not only for NDA leaders and workers but for the masses… Bihar has changed now… The NDA government works for every section of society, but Muslims do not vote for the BJP,” he said.
Echoing a similar view, JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar told PTI, “It is true that the central government never discriminates in the distribution of welfare measures to the beneficiaries… Still, it does not get the votes of a particular community… This is certainly a matter of concern. As far as language and the terminology used in his (Giriraj Singh) speech is concerned, he is free to use words as per his choice.”
Reacting to Singh’s statement, RJD state unit spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwary told PTI Videos, “It’s a well-known fact that BJP leaders can’t say anything except Hindu-Muslim. They can’t talk about growing unemployment, price hike, better education and medical facilities… Whenever you talk to them about development, they start discussions on Hindu-Muslim issues and try their best to divert the attention of people from core issues.”
Independent Lok Sabha MP from Purnea, Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav, slammed the Union minister for his comments.
Speaking to reporters in Patna, he said, “Giriraj babu must tell us the names of those who supported the British during India’s freedom struggle.”
“Those who supported the British should be called ‘namak haraam’. All those individuals and organisations who supported the enemy (British) during the freedom movement must be identified,” Yadav said.
The firebrand BJP leader had earlier also courted controversies on multiple occasions for his remarks.
The 243-member Bihar Assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, with results set to be announced on November 14. (PTI)
