Continuing his attack on Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his long absence from public life during the coronavirus ( COVID-19 ) crisis, Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly and Tejashwi Yadav on Monday released a poster that said: “The whole of Bihar is asking: where has Nitish Kumar been hiding?”
Mr. Kumar, meanwhile, came out of his residence on Monday to attend the 72nd State-level bankers’ meeting at Patna’s Adhiveshan Bhawan.
Also Read |Amit Shah sounds bugle for Bihar election
“Why has Bihar’s Chief Minister been missing for the last 90 days?” asked the huge poster unveiled by Tejashwi Yadav outside the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) headquarters at Patna’s Beerchand Patel Marg.
The poster also calculated Mr. Kumar’s 90-day absence in hours, minutes and seconds. It said: “He spent 77 lakh 76 thousand seconds in hiding and yet he is traceless…and, above all, calling labourers goons, lootere (robbers) and criminals…neither do you take care of poor people, labourers, farmers or youth…what did you do? Only rest, rest, rest and rest.”
The poster’s concluding tagline read: “Pooch raha saara Bihar, kahan chipe ho Nitish Kumar? (the whole of Bihar is asking, where you have been hiding, Nitish Kumar?).”
Bihar needs a State-specific stimulus
While addressing mediapersons at the party office, Mr. Yadav also announced that such posters would be put up at every block and district headquarters of the State.
“Nitish Kumar may be the first Chief Minister of the country who has not come out of his residence for the last 90 days in this coronavirus crisis,” the RJD leader further alleged.
Tweeted criticism
Later, he also tweeted: “Shouldn’t the chief minister who is missing from 90-days visit the Covid hospitals, which are at some distance from his luxurious bungalow, to take stock of the preparation there?...Shouldn’t he talk to the labourers?...Everything seems perfect and rosy in closed door meetings but the ground reality comes when one visits the ground.”
Earlier on Sunday, poll strategist and former Janata Dal (United) leader Prashant Kishor too took a jibe at his former party boss. “Despite the lowest testing rate, 7-9% positive case rate and more than 6,000 cases, Bihar is discussing more of elections than corona. Nitish Kumar who had not come out of his residence for last three months due to fears of corona, thinks there is no danger for people in stepping out of their home to participate in polls,” Mr. Kishor tweeted in Hindi.
Legal notice
Meanwhile, State Urban Development Minister Ashok Chaudhary on Monday slapped a legal notice on Mr. Yadav, alleging that the RJD leader had recently posted an “edited” video and other messages on social media that were “misleading and aimed at maligning” his image.
“The RJD chief ministerial candidate shared an edited video of his response to queries from journalists about an open letter from his imprisoned father Lalu Prasad addressing the people of Bihar a day after his 73rd birthday,” Mr. Chaudhary told journalists, adding that he had sought immediate deletion of all such social media posts by the RJD leader, and an unconditional apology made by him on social media. “He [Tejashwi Yadav] has been given 10 hours time to respond after receipt of my notice, failing which I will be free to initiate legal action against him,” he warned.
On Sunday, senior State Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi too attacked Mr. Lalu Prasad and his family saying: “Lalu Prasad’s family is the biggest landlord of the State,” and “Lalu Prasad and his family owns 143 plots and 30 flats.” Mr. Modi also provided details of the properties in his allegation.
