Blame game in Bihar over NITI Aayog CEO's statement

The ruling JD(U) and the opposition RJD today engaged in a blame game over NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant's assertion that eastern India, particularly states like Bihar, UP and Chattisgarh, were responsible for the country's backwardness.

Terming Kant's statement as "unfortunate" and "irresponsible", Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav took a dig at chief minister Nitish Kumar for maintaining silence over the matter.

"Bihar CM Nitish Kumar should condemn Kant's statement. He should tell people that Niti Aayog is lying to them... Why can't he muster courage to speak against the statement, which not only lowers the morale of the people but belittles the state's contribution to the nation's development?" he said.

Kant, while speaking at the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi yesterday, said eastern India, particularly states like Bihar, UP, Chhattisgarh, is keeping India backward, especially on the social indicators.

"There is NDA government both at Centre and in the state and even after 13 year of JD(U)-NDA sushashan (good governance), and Babus (officers) are saying that Bihar is a backward state," Yadav, the former Bihar deputy CM, quipped.

"Biharis pay taxes, just like people in other parts of the country. The state gave 33 MPs to the NDA and seven Union ministers," he said.

The ruling JD(U), however, said "unbalanced development" was the reason behind the country's sluggish growth rate