File photo of Nitish Kumar.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today accused Congress President Sonia Gandhi of playing a communal card and said the strategy would hardly help the party's fortune in the state for the coming Lok Sabha polls.
"Yes she is trying to play communal card... But it's a weak card which will not help them," Kumar said referring to the Congress President's meeting with Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid, Syed Ahmed Bukhari couple of days back.
Incidentally, Bukhari has yesterday declared his support to the Congress, saying it will 'strengthen' secularism and termed communalism as a 'bigger threat' to the country than corruption.
"We put our government in Bihar at risk to fight against communalism," he said while referring to breaking ties with the BJP over the elevation of Narendra Modi facing taint of 2002 Godhra riots.
He further alleged that Sonia Gandhi was travelling throughout the country and distributing certificates of secularism though her party has done very little for the welfare of minority communities.
Kumar also asked Sonia Gandhi about 'who were responsible for the 1984 riots and the 1990 violence in Bihar's Bhagalpur.
"Do you have any answer for the killing of a large number of Sikhs in 1984 carnage and the murder of thousands of Muslims in riot in Bhagalpur in Bihar in 1990?" Kumar asked.
Bhagalpur communal carnage took place during Congress regime while its ally RJD subsequently let those responsible for killing thousands of people roam free, he alleged.
The Chief Minister claimed that his government has punished a large number of accused in the Bhagalpur riots and has promised life-long pension to the victims' families.