Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday referred to Amruta Fadnavis' 'Father of the Nation of New India' remark to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked what has the "'new father' of 'new India' done for the nation?"
Amruta Fadnavis, wife of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, on December 21, had called PM Modi, the 'Father of the Nation' of 'New India'.
Taking a potshot with reference to the remark, Kumar said, "They had nothing to do with the fight for Independence. RSS didn't contribute to the fight for Independence...we read about the remark 'New father of the nation'...what has the 'new father' of 'new India' done for the nation?"
Earlier on December 21, Amruta Fadnavis had said, "India has two fathers of the nation. One belonged to the India of yore and the other is for a new India. I believe that Mahatma Gandhi is the 'Father of the Nation' of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the 'Father of the Nation' of new India."
Retorting to the remark, Maharashtra Congress President Nana Patole said that Mahatma Gandhi cannot be compared with anyone and took a jibe at the BJP's "new India."
"Father of the nation can't be compared with anyone. Their (BJP) 'new India' is only about making a few friends super-rich while the rest of the population remains downtrodden and hungry. We don't need this 'new India," Patole said.
"If they want to make Modi ji 'Father of the Nation' of new India just for few rich businessmen then let them make. I congratulate them for the same," Patole said.
Senior Congress leader Pramod Tiwari also hit out at the remarks made by the wife of the state's deputy chief minister.
"There can be two fathers in BJP but not in the country. There'll be only one Father of Nation..." Tiwari said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)