BJP slams INDIA bloc over DMK MP's 'derogatory' remarks on Bihar workers

The BJP on Sunday hit out at the INDIA bloc over DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's alleged derogatory remarks on workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and said voters of the Hindi-speaking states will teach the opposition alliance a lesson in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

The BJP reaction came after a video clip of an alleged derogatory remark made months ago by Maran surfaced on social media.

In the video clip, Maran purportedly said that people in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who had learnt "only Hindi", construct houses, clean roads and toilets in Tamil Nadu, after learning Tamil. "This is the scenario if Hindi is learnt."

Reacting sharply to Maran's remarks, senior BJP leader and former Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "They should stop insulting (people of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh) like this".

Labourers from Bihar go to Tamil Nadu for work "due to the situations created by their (DMK) ally Nitish Kumar in Bihar," Prasad alleged.

"But if someone does labour, will you insult him like this?" the Patna Sahib MP asked, accusing the DMK leaders of trying to create divisions in the country with their objectionable remarks against "Sanatan, Bihar's values and culture and now labour"

"This India is one, anyone can go anywhere to work," he added.

BJP national spokesperson and former Union minister Syed Shahnawaz Hussain termed Maran's remarks as "totally objectionable" and asked why the INDIA bloc parties and their leaders look down on the people of Bihar and UP.

"This is totally objectionable. It should be vehemently condemned," the BJP leader said, and asked, "Why INDI Alliance leaders look down on people of Bihar-UP in such a way and why do they insult them? Why are people from JD-U, RJD and Congress silent on this?"

They insulted "Bihar DNA" earlier but the opposition parties remained silent, Hussain charged in an apparent reference to a comment of Congress leader and Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy.

"People of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh will give a befitting reply to INDI Alliance people and teach them a lesson," he added.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said such kind of objectionable comments "constantly" being made by the senior leaders of the DMK show that it is acceptable to "INDI Alliance and it is part of their (poll) strategy".

"This is not a coincidence, it is a well thought out experiment. The Congress also endorses it. The Congress which has done its politics from North India, particularly Uttar Pradesh, is today down to abusing these states," Poonawalla charged.

"This is the reality of INDI Alliance," the BJP leader added.

Union minister Nityanand Rai lashed out at the DMK over Maran's remarks and said this is their "appeasement policy" for votes.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has enhanced the dignity of our brothers and sisters who are engaged in Swachhata Abhiyan (cleanliness mission), and you are insulting (them). This is appeasement policy...For this, you (DMK leader) will have to apologise to the country," Rai told reporters

He also dared all other constituents of the opposition INDIA bloc to oppose and condemn Maran's remarks about Hindi speaking people from North India.

"Dayanidhi Maran should hear this: it is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharat and no one can create north Bharat and south Bharat division. 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' is in the making here under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi. Everyone has respect in this country including those who clean toilets and roads," Rai added.