Tejashwi Yadav Calls PM Modi 'Pickpocket'; Sparks Political Wrangling

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Friday stoked a controversy by calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘pickpocket’ and alleged that public funds are used to arrange the latter’s rallies in the state.

It drew condemnation from the ruling NDA in Bihar which reprimanded the Leader of the Opposition for his choice of words.

Addressing a press conference soon after Modi’s visit to Siwan district where he launched several development projects, Yadav said, “We do not want a prime minister who is a pickpocket ('pocketmaar'). The administration was deployed to gather the crowd. The people were brought forcefully. The NDA parties misuse government machinery and public funds to stage a crowd." They have been spending the Bihar government’s money for so many days for this rally of the Prime Minister, the RJD leader claimed.

"This is simple pickpocketing. We neither want a pickpocket PM nor a chief minister who is not in his senses,” Yadav said.

Responding to his comments, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary told reporters: “Such statements of Tejashwi Yadav show his level. Just like Amitabh Bachchan had 'Mera Baap Chor Hai' (my father is a thief) written on his hand in a Hindi movie, something similar is happening with Tejashwi”.

Echoing a similar view JD(U) leader Neeraj Kumar asserted that Tejashwi Yadav has crossed all limits.

"He is also the son of a convicted person," he said, alluding to the conviction of Yadav's father and former chief minister Lalu Prasad in fodder scam cases.

Yadav also alleged that Modi has broken all records of misleading and befooling people by addressing rallies in Bihar which were full of ‘lies & jumlas (rhetorics).

"The PM must analyse his delivered speeches and fake promises made to Biharis, and if he does so, he will feel embarrassed. His speech in Siwan today had no content; they were full of lies. People of Bihar will give them a befitting reply in the assembly polls in the state,” he said.

The assembly elections in the state are due later this year.

Earlier in the day, while addressing a rally in Siwan, the PM slammed the RJD for allegedly insulting Babasaheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar and asserted that the people of Bihar would not tolerate any disrespect to the Dalit icon.

Modi, who did not mention RJD chief Lalu Prasad by name, referred to the instance of a portrait of Ambedkar being placed close to the feet of the ailing septuagenarian, for which he (Prasad) has been drawing flak from the BJP-led NDA.

"Ambedkar was against dynasty rule. But they (RJD and its allies) do not like it. So they have his portrait placed at their feet. On my way, I saw posters demanding an apology for this insult to Babasaheb. But there has been none," said Modi.