Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Credit: PTI
Patna: This may be a State-level election for the constitution of Bihar Assembly. But the national leaders are leaving no stone unturned in spewing venom on each other.
Shortly after Rahul Gandhi dived into a pond in Begusarai earlier this week to catch fish, along with the local fishermen, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday took a dig at the Congress leader.
“Some leaders are practising how to sink in Bihar election,” Modi, laced with sarcasm, said against the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
While diving and swimming along with the local fishermen at Begusarai, before catching fish by using the net, Rahul had accused the NDA government of doing nothing for the Nishads, mostly fishermen and boatmen.
On Saturday, it was Modi’s turn to join the issue and assail the Congress leader. “There was a time when Bihar had to procure fish from other States, mostly from far off Andhra Pradesh. But the policy and initiatives we took in the Department of Fisheries, Bihar is today not only self-sufficient in producing fish, it also exports fish to other States,” said Modi, while addressing a rally in Sitamarhi.
Jibe at Opposition
“Big people are now visiting Bihar to see the fish here. Some of them are diving into the ponds. While some of them are practising how to sink in the Bihar election,” Modi slammed his opponents Rahul Gandhi, his party colleague Kanhaiya Kumar and Mukesh Sahni, the president of Vikas-sheel Insaan Party (VIP), who is also the Deputy Chief Ministerial face of the Mahagatbandhan. Incidentally, all three – Rahul, Kanhaiya and Mukesh Sahni - had dived into the pond and caught fish too along with the local fishermen.
Rich dividends
The impromptu move by Rahul, where he got down from his vehicle and joined the fishermen in the pond, has its own political significance as several important rivers flow through Bihar, including the Ganga, Bagmati, Kosi, Gandak and Burhi Gandak. The three per cent Nishad community, who are either fishermen or boatmen, are reportedly elated over Rahul’s move. “Rahul Gandhi has brought us on the international map by swimming and catching fish with us. This move will fetch us rich political dividends,” said Sahani, who claims to be the self-styled leader of the Nishads.