JOIN USBeat defiant officers with bamboo sticks, says BJP's Giriraj Singh
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Giriraj Singh stirred a fresh row after he asked his supporters to beat officers who do not listen to their grievances with bamboo sticks. “Dono haath se baans uthaiye, aur aise officer ki pitai kijiye (Pick up the bamboo stick and thrash such officers)," said Giriraj, when someone complained to him that officers in Bihar do not listen to common man’s woes.
Giriraj was addressing a gathering at a government function in Begusarai, his Lok Sabha constituency.
On Sunday, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar took umbrage at the use of such language by a Union Minister. Strongly disapproving of such bawdy language, Nitish said, “Is it justified to talk of ‘pitai’ (thrashing) of officers?. Go and ask Giriraj?”
Singh on Saturday said that it’s the people who elect MPs, MLAs and ward councillors. “It’s the ‘janata’ (people) who are the most powerful person in a democracy. And if officers do not listen to them, then thrash such officers with bamboo sticks,” he said.
Meanwhile, Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav slammed Nitish Kumar for not taking action against the BJP leader for his unwarranted utterances.
“Union Minister Giriraj Singh is saying that there is complete chaos and anarchy in Bihar. Officers do not listen to anyone. Such officers should be beaten up with bamboo sticks... The Chief Minister appears to be quite weak... The Nitish regime, which lodges FIR against journalists for raking up government misdeeds, rewards such ministers,” tweeted Tejashwi in Hindi.