PATNA: Reacting over the Bihar deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav’s alleged threats like “remain in line” and “all things will be cooled down,” Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai dared the RJD leader to compete with him in milking buffaloes and said that the person who would milk a greater number of buffaloes would be ‘winner’ while the other would be considered as ‘cooled down’.
Addressing a meeting of his supporters, mainly milkmen, at Angaar Ghat in his Ujiarpur parliamentary constituency, Rai said the television channels were flashing a news that Tejashwi somewhere said he “will cool me down.”
“Let both of us sit at a place and take up the task of milking buffaloes. Whoever will get tired first while milking buffaloes, will automatically get ‘cooled down.’ The person who will milk a greater number of buffaloes will be ‘winner’ while the loser will be considered as ‘cooled down,” Rai said amidst a split of laughter from his supporters.
On Thursday, Tejashwi while addressing a press conference in the state capital said, “A Union minister of BJP who wanted to execute ‘Khela’ of Maharashtra in Bihar, should ‘remain in the line’ otherwise ‘all things will be cooled down’. The man whose dream of becoming the Bihar CM has been broken down must understand. He should not dream too much. People from Delhi will not come to save him.”
Though Tejashwi didn’t take the name of any person, every one at the press conference understood that he was referring to Rai as his name was in circulation as the likely CM of the BJP in Bihar.
Addressing his supporters, Rai further said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have handed over me the works of the entire country. But, Tejashwi, as I feel, went into alliance with the JD(U) because he thought that the BJP was perhaps going to make me (Rai) the chief minister. Is it not? As it is a matter of my party, I can’t say anything about it.”
“If required I will take you all to Patna to ask Tejashwi whether he will cool me down or the buffaloes will cool him down,” Rai told the supporters.
The minister also made a veiled attack on the caste identity of Tejashwi saying, “I am a son of a farmer. I can milk more than five buffaloes at a time. But I cannot say anything if Tejashwi comes with ewes at the competition.” Rai and Tejashwi both belong to the Yadav community.
Bihar BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand, also a Yadav, on Friday claimed, “Nityanand Rai is a real Yadav as he belongs to a family of cowherds and is, therefore, a descendant of Lord Krishna. Tejashwi is a “farji” (fake) as he belongs to a community of shepherds.”
Asked for his comment on the BJP’s claim, the RJD spokesperson and MLA Bhai Birendra, who is himself a Yadav, said the BJP leaders always give misleading statements. “Tejashwi is a ‘pure’ Yadav and that is why the entire Yadav community has been supporting RJD boss Lalu Prasad’s family for decades,” the RJD’s Maner MLA told TOI over phone.
“In politics, there should be no talk like ‘milking buffaloes or cows.’ Instead, leaders should work to fulfil the promises they made to the electors. The BJP leaders have a habit of indulging into useless talks like milking buffaloes and cows. While Tejashwi is focussing to provide jobs to youths, the BJP men are trying to divert by asking him to compete in milking buffaloes. The BJP too should fulfil the promises they made to people during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” Bhai Birendra told TOI on Friday.
Addressing a meeting of his supporters, mainly milkmen, at Angaar Ghat in his Ujiarpur parliamentary constituency, Rai said the television channels were flashing a news that Tejashwi somewhere said he “will cool me down.”
“Let both of us sit at a place and take up the task of milking buffaloes. Whoever will get tired first while milking buffaloes, will automatically get ‘cooled down.’ The person who will milk a greater number of buffaloes will be ‘winner’ while the loser will be considered as ‘cooled down,” Rai said amidst a split of laughter from his supporters.
On Thursday, Tejashwi while addressing a press conference in the state capital said, “A Union minister of BJP who wanted to execute ‘Khela’ of Maharashtra in Bihar, should ‘remain in the line’ otherwise ‘all things will be cooled down’. The man whose dream of becoming the Bihar CM has been broken down must understand. He should not dream too much. People from Delhi will not come to save him.”
Though Tejashwi didn’t take the name of any person, every one at the press conference understood that he was referring to Rai as his name was in circulation as the likely CM of the BJP in Bihar.
Addressing his supporters, Rai further said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah have handed over me the works of the entire country. But, Tejashwi, as I feel, went into alliance with the JD(U) because he thought that the BJP was perhaps going to make me (Rai) the chief minister. Is it not? As it is a matter of my party, I can’t say anything about it.”
“If required I will take you all to Patna to ask Tejashwi whether he will cool me down or the buffaloes will cool him down,” Rai told the supporters.
The minister also made a veiled attack on the caste identity of Tejashwi saying, “I am a son of a farmer. I can milk more than five buffaloes at a time. But I cannot say anything if Tejashwi comes with ewes at the competition.” Rai and Tejashwi both belong to the Yadav community.
Bihar BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand, also a Yadav, on Friday claimed, “Nityanand Rai is a real Yadav as he belongs to a family of cowherds and is, therefore, a descendant of Lord Krishna. Tejashwi is a “farji” (fake) as he belongs to a community of shepherds.”
Asked for his comment on the BJP’s claim, the RJD spokesperson and MLA Bhai Birendra, who is himself a Yadav, said the BJP leaders always give misleading statements. “Tejashwi is a ‘pure’ Yadav and that is why the entire Yadav community has been supporting RJD boss Lalu Prasad’s family for decades,” the RJD’s Maner MLA told TOI over phone.
“In politics, there should be no talk like ‘milking buffaloes or cows.’ Instead, leaders should work to fulfil the promises they made to the electors. The BJP leaders have a habit of indulging into useless talks like milking buffaloes and cows. While Tejashwi is focussing to provide jobs to youths, the BJP men are trying to divert by asking him to compete in milking buffaloes. The BJP too should fulfil the promises they made to people during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha polls,” Bhai Birendra told TOI on Friday.