Nitish snaps back at scribe, says harsh language has no

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has lost his cool in the face of persistent queries from a journalist about the inundation of Patna due to heavy rain and shot back asking whether there was similar outrage when Mumbai suffered a deluge and floods disrupted normal life in the USA.

The incident took place on late Tuesday night when Kumar was wading through knee-deep water to survey an inundated area of the city.

Apparently aggrieved at the incident, Kumar on Wednesday said, "Do you have any illusion that your harsh language is of any consequence to me? It is not. I am someone who has been devoted to serving the people. I do not care about what you say about me."

"People of my age are virtually through with their lives. But for heaven's sake show a sense of responsibility," he said at a symposium on organised on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti here.

 

On Tuesday night, a posse of journalists had approached the chief minister with questions about inundation.

As he began explaining how the state's northern districts had experienced flash floods in July, followed by a dry spell leading to a drought-like situation until it was ravaged by torrents last week, a journalist from Delhi who was here to cover the situation tried to cut him short.

While Kumar was visibly irritated, the interjection was resented by the local scribes who quarrelled with the visiting one. They were heard shouting: "Have you come here to gain prominence for yourself? This is not your Delhi studio. We are based in Bihar and please let us have the chief minister's soundbite."

When the commotion subsided after a few minutes, Kumar resumed speaking about how the latest disaster was in a way connected to the problem of climate change, which his government was doing its bit to tackle.

Kumar was then interrupted again by the journalist who sought to draw his attention to the sufferings of people living in water-logged areas for the past few days.

He began explaining the topography of the city, where the worst affected localities like Rajendra Nagar were low-lying areas and urged for an "honest appraisal of the government's efforts and a proper study of the factors responsible for the current situation".

When the reporter continued to ask questions on top of her voice on what his government did to change things after having ruled the state for close to 15 years, Kumar snapped, "I would like to know whether water-logging in Patna has been the biggest problem. How much concern was shown when Mumbai and America were water-logged? You people have failed to even contribute towards raising public awareness, Kumar said turning away amid protestations by the scribe who shouted, "Raising public awareness is what we are trying to do. Please answer the questions."

"Look at this girl shouting here. The local representative of her channel is nowhere to be seen and she has been sent from outside to create mischief," he remarked sardonically as he was led towards his vehicle by the security personnel on duty.

At a symposium held here on Wednesday on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Kumar said he was questioned by journalists when he visited a place verify a claim by officials that a pump involved in flushing out water, which had developed a snag, was functioning properly.

"There I saw a large number of journalists. Many of them I did not even know. The type of language was used... (they were) screaming...," Kumar said and added "kahaan kahaan se bhej deta hai (from where these people are sent)".