From the cow, the war of words in Bihar has moved to pulses. With Assembly elections underway in the state, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his ally and Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad have picked up the issue of spiralling prices, particularly of pulses, to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre, headed by Narendra Modi.
At an election meeting in Patna, Kumar said the Prime Minister's comment "Na khaunga na khane doonga (neither will I eat, nor let others eat)" has become the butt of jokes, with the price of pulses touching Rs 200 a kg. Prasad claimed that pulses had vanished from the "plates of the poor".
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan came to the BJP's rescue. Singh charged Kumar's government of not utilising the special central fund for price stabilisation, while Paswan accused Kumar of allowing prices to spiral out of control to sully the image of the Modi-led government.
At an election meeting in Patna, Kumar said the Prime Minister's comment "Na khaunga na khane doonga (neither will I eat, nor let others eat)" has become the butt of jokes, with the price of pulses touching Rs 200 a kg. Prasad claimed that pulses had vanished from the "plates of the poor".
Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan came to the BJP's rescue. Singh charged Kumar's government of not utilising the special central fund for price stabilisation, while Paswan accused Kumar of allowing prices to spiral out of control to sully the image of the Modi-led government.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
SAVE 25%
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Subscribe
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors
Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share
Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor
Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements
Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
SAVE 25%