Derogatory remarks made by Trinamool Congress MLA Manoranjan Byapari against people from Bihar have stirred up a political row with both Bharatiya Janata Party and Rashtriya Janata Dal slamming the Mamata Banerjee-led party in West Bengal.
Byapari had last year said 'Ek Bihari, sau bimari' (One Person from Bihar is equal to 100 diseases). The TMC leader also said that Bengal should be "disease free". The Trinamool MLA's comment captured on video had been shared on social media by several BJP leaders, including Suvenda Adhikari who reshared it recently.
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The Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari had said, "First TMC leader Mamata Banerjee labels Biharis and UPites as 'Bohiragotos and now this clarion call to make Bengal free of Biharis."
Notably, the TMC has fielded actor-turned-politician Shatrughan Sinha popularly known as "Bihari Babu' for the Asansol Lok Sabha seat in the forthcoming bypolls.
Meanwhile, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha said that if the people of Bihar stopped working, the heartbeat of the country will come to a stop.
Speaking to ANI, Jha said, "I hail from Bihar. I feel sad that when people of Bihar are targetted. What crime have we committed that we are targeted in different states? This is not the first time that this has kind of statement was made in Bengal against people of Bihar."
"The people of Bihar are working in different states, in different positions, in different categories. If one day they decide that they will not work, then I am sure that the heartbeat of the nation will stop. Everyone should understand this before making statements," stated the RJD leader.
Blaming the central and state government for the condition of the people of Bihar, Jha said that Bihar has been turned into labourer supply state.
He said, "Over the last years, the Centre never tried to bring investment in Bihar. When it comes to Bihar, a dozen trains are given, in which our brothers and sisters get loaded like cattle and go to other states as labourers."
"This suits the present character of capitalism. In this system, we find abuses apart from the minimum wage. This system has to be changed. That is why we call for special attention to Bihar and demand special status. Otherwise, India will never be able to become a 5 trillion economy," added the RJD MP.
( With inputs from ANI )
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