Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar addresses the media persons at JD(U) office.
Patna:
Contesting allegations by BJP leader Narendra Modi that his arrogance was higher than Mount Everest, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he was from a "poor family" and only had self-respect.
"Himalaya and Mt Everest are compared to good things but the comparison this time was done with arrogance. There is no scale to measure arrogance. Who is calling whom arrogant? We are proud to be Indian and Bihari but do not have arrogance," Mr Kumar told a press conference on Patna.
"Other people have arrogance and their arrogance is dripping from every inch of his body," Mr Kumar said two days after Narendra Modi attacked him at a rally in Purnea.
The BJP's prime ministerial candidate had alleged that the JD(U) leader's "arrogance" and "ambition" to become prime minister had driven him to split from the BJP.
Stating that he wanted to put the record straight, Mr Kumar said he wanted to respond to "lies" by Mr Modi yesterday, but was busy with induction of a woman minister into the cabinet after the resignation of Renu Kushwaha.
Mr Kumar reeled out figures to highlight the "truth" about development in Gujarat which, he said, BJP was "trumpeting" across the country.
He laughed at figures given by Mr Modi from the Sachar committee report to compare the socio-economic condition of Muslims in Bihar and in Gujarat.
Mr Kumar said that these figures pertained to financial year 2004-05 and were based on 2001 census before he assumed power in the state (in November 2005).
He said a comparison between a backward and landlocked state like Bihar with a developed coastal state of Gujarat was 'unjustifiable'.
Who is calling whom arrogant? This is true, we are proud to be Indian and Bihari but do not have arrogance.
"Himalaya and Mt Everest are compared to good things but the comparison this time was done with arrogance. There is no scale to measure arrogance. Who is calling whom arrogant? We are proud to be Indian and Bihari but do not have arrogance," Mr Kumar told a press conference on Patna.
"Other people have arrogance and their arrogance is dripping from every inch of his body," Mr Kumar said two days after Narendra Modi attacked him at a rally in Purnea.
The BJP's prime ministerial candidate had alleged that the JD(U) leader's "arrogance" and "ambition" to become prime minister had driven him to split from the BJP.
Stating that he wanted to put the record straight, Mr Kumar said he wanted to respond to "lies" by Mr Modi yesterday, but was busy with induction of a woman minister into the cabinet after the resignation of Renu Kushwaha.
Mr Kumar reeled out figures to highlight the "truth" about development in Gujarat which, he said, BJP was "trumpeting" across the country.
He laughed at figures given by Mr Modi from the Sachar committee report to compare the socio-economic condition of Muslims in Bihar and in Gujarat.
Mr Kumar said that these figures pertained to financial year 2004-05 and were based on 2001 census before he assumed power in the state (in November 2005).
He said a comparison between a backward and landlocked state like Bihar with a developed coastal state of Gujarat was 'unjustifiable'.
Who is calling whom arrogant? This is true, we are proud to be Indian and Bihari but do not have arrogance.
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