Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav strongly criticized DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's recent comments regarding Hindi speakers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar who visit Tamil Nadu. Expressing his condemnation, Tejashwi Yadav emphasized the indispensable contribution of Biharis to various states, asserting that the absence of Bihar's populace would result in the halt of operations in other regions.
Maran's purported remarks have sparked a political controversy, prompting the BJP to question leaders from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar within the INDIA bloc for their silence on the matter. Tejashwi Yadav, representing the RJD, disapproved of Maran's statement and emphasized the demand for laborers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh across the country. He highlighted the crucial role played by individuals from these states, suggesting that if their mobility were curtailed, it could lead to a standstill in other regions.
Addressing reporters, Tejashwi Yadav stated, "If any leader of that party has said something about the people of UP and Bihar, then it is condemnable. We do not agree with it. The laborers from UP and Bihar are demanded all over the country. If they stop going elsewhere, then states will cease to function and come to a standstill."
Yadav further contextualized his response, distinguishing between statements targeting a specific community and those targeting individuals from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. He stressed the inappropriateness of the latter, asserting that leaders from all parties should refrain from making such remarks.
The Bihar Deputy Chief Minister's comments were in reaction to DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran's remarks that individuals from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh who speak Hindi and come to Tamil Nadu often end up engaged in construction work or cleaning roads and toilets. A clip of Maran's comments went viral, prompting BJP Lok Sabha MP Ravi Shankar Prasad to criticize DMK leaders for insulting the people of Bihar.
Ravi Shankar Prasad attributed the migration of people from Bihar to other states to the prevailing conditions in Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, a member of the INDIA alliance. He underscored the need for INDIA bloc leaders to address such derogatory comments.
Shehzad Poonawalla of the BJP criticized INDIA bloc leaders for their perceived inaction against DMK, citing the alliance's silence on apparent communal discrimination. Poonawalla called on leaders such as Nitish Kumar, Tejashwi Yadav, Lalu Yadav, Congress, and SP Akhilesh Yadav to take a stand against such incidents.
The controversy adds to recent tensions, including remarks made by DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin, who compared Sanatana dharma to "dengue" and "malaria" and advocated for its eradication, sparking further debate and calls for a unified response from political leaders.
