India News | Nitish Kumar Says He's Stunned at Channi's Remarks Against People from UP, Bihar

Patna (Bihar) [India], February 17 (ANI): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday slammed his Punjab counterpart Charanjit Singh Channi for his reported exhortation -- 'Don't let UP, Bihar ke bhaiya enter Punjab' -- made during a roadshow with the Congress national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. Kumar said that he was stunned by the remarks of the Punjab Chief Minister and wondered if Channi wasn't aware of the contribution of the people of Bihar for Punjab.

Channi had purportedly appealed to the people of Punjab to stop people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from coming to the state.

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Speaking to the reporters here, Kumar said, "It does not make any sense. Do they know how much is the contribution of the people of Bihar in Punjab and how many are living and serving (there)? I am stunned how people make such statements."

Meanwhile, Union Minister Anurag Thakur took a swipe at Channi and the former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi and termed the statement of Channi an "insult to people of UP".

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"Rahul Gandhi and Punjab CM have insulted the people of UP, and Priyanka Ji laughed. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee calls people of UP goons and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav welcomes her with big bouquets. Have Congress and SP taken the responsibility to insult of UP?" asked Thakur.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo Arvind Kejriwal also slammed Channi's remark and called it "shameful".

"The comments are really shameful. We strongly condemn comments aimed at any individual or any particular community. He also calls me 'Kala' (black)," said Kejriwal while addressing a press conference in Mohali.

Notably, Punjab will go to the Assembly polls on February 20 and the counting of votes will take place on March 10. (ANI)

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)