'Is it crime to take action against corrupt': BJP slams JDU chief for calling PM Modi 'dhongi'

New Delhi: Union Minister of State Home Affairs Nityanand Rai on Saturday hit out at Janata Dal (United) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh for raking up Prime Minister Narendra Modi`s caste and said his allegation of "duplicity" was an insult to the 12 crore people of Bihar. Rai also targeted Rajiv Ranjan Singh, who is more widely known as Lalan Singh, for the IT raids against his aide and asked if it is a crime to take action against the corrupt.

"Is it a crime to take action against the corrupt? Is it a crime to send corrupt people behind bars? If this is a crime, then the punishment for that crime is acceptable to130 crore people of the country. The people of Bihar will give you an answer soon," Rai told ANI. 

He referred to the humble origins of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will have to answer for Lalan Singh’s remarks. 

"The person who is working day and night for the country, constantly struggling to eradicate poverty from the country, calling him `duplicate` is an insult to the 12 crore people of Bihar. Nitish Kumar Ji will have to answer to the people of Bihar," Rai said.

Lalan Singh`s remarks came after the Income Tax (IT) department on Friday conducted a raid at multiple locations in Patna. IT department conducted raids at places including the Shivpuri, Patel Nagar, and Boring Road premises of builder Gabbu Singh, who is a close aide of the JD(U) leader. Lalan Singh made the allegations while addressing JD(U) party members in Patna.

Also Read: ‘Narendra Modi is duplicate’: JDU chief Lalan Singh on PM's caste status

"In 2014, Narendra Modi roamed the country saying he was from the Extremely Backward Class (EBC). There is no EBC in Gujarat, only OBC. When Modi became Gujarat Chief Minister he added his caste to OBC. He is a duplicate, not an original."

Stating that BJP is a "messy place", Lalan Singh said that those who left BJP and joined JD(U) did a good job. The JD(U) leader had also attacked the central government over unemployment and inflation.

"Inflation is never discussed, but cheetah is discussed. Will the cheetah go hungry? Employment has been destroyed. The central government has no control over inflation," he alleged. Nitish Kumar had broken ties with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in August this year and rejoined hands with the RJD to form a "Mahagathbandhan" government in the state.