The JD(U) lashed out at Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Jaiswal for coming up with "misleading" data on population growth rate in two districts of the state, alleging that he was trying to incite communal hatred among people.
Sanjay Jaiswal had on Wednesday claimed that population growth rate in Kishanganj and Araria districts was the "highest in the world", partly due to the alleged high rate of influx of "Bangladeshi infiltrators".
"All BJP leaders, including Jaiswal, are engaged in inciting communal hatred among people in the state to derive political mileage... They (BJP) are doing this as Union Home Minister Amit Shah is scheduled to visit Bihar on September 24," JD(U) leaders Neeraj Kumar and Arvind Nishad said in a statement on Friday.
"Jaiswal is giving wrong and misleading information. The population growth rate in several other districts in India is much higher than Araria and Kishanganj," they claimed.
According to the 2011 census, Kishanganj has a 67 per cent Muslim population, the highest in any Bihar district, followed by adjoining Araria, where the figure is 43 per cent.
Mr Jaiswal had made the remarks in Araria, where he was galvanising support for Shah's rally at nearby Purnea later this month.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
BJP To Not Name Chief Ministerial Candidate For Delhi Polls: Source Unclaimed Bag At Delhi BJP Office Sparks Panic Opinion: Opinion | Mohan Bhagwat's Statement Should Be Welcomed by All Parents On Mumbai Ferry Wanted To Toss Children In Sea. Rescuers Stopped Them 2 Dead As Saudi Doctor Drives BMW Into Crowded Christmas Market In Germany Robin Uthappa Faces Arrest Warrant For Alleged Provident Fund Fraud Case Against IIM Bangalore Head For Discrimination Against Dalit Professor "Time For You To Step Aside": Canada MP's Letter To Justin Trudeau Woman Dies After 'Dupatta' Gets Caught In Machine At Food Centre Of Temple Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.