India / Is it appropriate to use such words?: Nitish on Giriraj Singh's 'beat officials' remark

Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Sunday disapproved of Union minister Giriraj Singh’s controversial advise to the people to “beat up with bamboo sticks” those government officials who do not listen to their grievances. A video of Giriraj’s speech has now gone viral on social media platforms.

“Ask him (Giriraj) only. Is it justified to use words like ‘pitai’ (beating up)?” Nitish said when reporters sought to know his reaction over the Union minister’s yet another controversial speech at a function organized by an agriculture institute at Khodawandpur in his Begusarai parliamentary constituency on Saturday.

Nitish was talking to reporters after attending an event of the Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya Vishwavidyalaya at Patna.

“In this democracy, parliamentarians, MLAs, DMs, SDOs, DDCs are under you (people). You must go to these representatives and officials with ‘your good words’. Recently, a friend gave me in writing that a CO (circle officer) is committing irregularities. I gave that letter to the CO and asked him to look into it. ... You yourself should go to the government officers. There is no need to tell all these things to Giriraj. It is your right to lodge your grievances (to the officials). If your rights are not protected, Giriraj will stand by your side; because you have made me a parliamentarian. You have made someone an MLA, you have made someone the district board member. Someone is a mukhiya at your strength. You are not (surviving) at the strength of MP, MLA or a mukhiya. ... if the officials do not listen to your grievances, take bamboo sticks and hit them. I don’t want to hear words like ‘someone is not listening,” Giriraj told the people of his constituency.

In the same video, Giriraj is heard telling the people, “Neither we will ask them (officials) to do any illegal work nor will we tolerate their illegitimate actions. Neither I ask any officer to do illegal work nor I can tolerate ‘nanga nritya’ (naked dance) of any officer.”

The minister’s speech invited sharp reaction from the leader of opposition in Bihar assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav. “Union minister Giriraj Singh has been telling that there is anarchy in the state. Government officers do not listen to the grievances of anyone. Therefore, beat up the officers with bamboo sticks. The Nitish government lodges FIR against the journalists who highlight wrongdoings, but gives prizes to those ministers who provoke violence,” Tejashwi said in a tweet on Sunday.