Bhim Singh should apologise to people of Bihar and to families of martyrs: JD(U) (Update JD(U)

Janata Dal (United) leader K.C. Tyagi on Thursday criticized Bihar's Panchayati Raj Minister Bhim Singh for his insensitive remark while responding to reporters' question about the absence of state ministers at the airport to receive the bodies of four of the five soldiers martyred in the ambush in Jammu and Kashmir, and said that the latter should apologise to the people of the state and to the families of the brave hearts who laid down their lives for the country.

Tyagi said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has asked the Rural Minister to take back his statement and apologise.

"The party condemns his comments. The Bihar Chief Minister has asked him to take back his statement and apologize," said Tyagi.

"He must apologize to people of Bihar and to the families of martyrs," he added.

In an insult to the men in uniform, Bhim Singh earlier said that people joined the Indian Army and the police force just to die.

"Sena aur police me log marne hi jate hain (People join the army and the police force only to die)," he told media in Patna, when asked about the absence of state ministers at the airport.

"Did your father and mother go (to receive the soldiers' bodies)," he added, while posing a counter question to a reporter.

There was no minister at the Patna airport last night to receive the bodies of the soldiers. The bodies of the soldiers were brought to Patna by special plane last night.

The mortal remains of Sepoy Vijay Kumar Rai, Lance Naik Shambhu Saran Singh and Premnath Singh and Sepoy Raghunandan Prasad from 21 Bihar regiment, who were among five soldiers killed along LoC, were today consigned to flames at their native villages of with full state honours.

Hundreds of people gathered at the cremation grounds to pay their homage to the brave soldiers who were martyred in Poonch sector on Tuesday.

The Bihar Chief Minister had earlier announced state honours for the martyrs, and also announced Rs.10 lakh ex gratia payment to each of the affected families.