'What has new father of new India done for nation?': Nitish Kumar attacks PM Modi; BJP responds

The wife of Devendra Fadnavis had recently said, "We have two 'rashtra pita'. Narendra Modi is the father of New India and Mahatma Gandhi is the father of the nation of earlier times."

New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday (December 31, 2022) referred to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Devendra Fadnavis's wife Amruta's "Father of the Nation of New India" remarks to take a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said what has the "new father of new India done for the nation". Amruta Fadnavis had recently called PM Modi the "Father of the Nation of New India".

Indirectly referring to Amruta's remarks, Kumar, a socialist who reveres Mahatma Gandhi, said, "What has been his (Narendra Modi's) contribution to new India? Has there been any progress? Sole achievement has been the use of new technology for propaganda".

The JD(U) supremo also fulminated against the RSS, the BJP's parent body, questioning its role in the Independence movement, and accused the current ruling dispensation of the Centre of undermining Mahatma Gandhi.

"What role did the RSS play in the Independence movement? None to speak of," Kumar said.

"I belong to a generation of people born after Independence. But my father was a freedom fighter and we know the contribution of Bapu. The current regime at the Centre has made no contributions except propaganda," he added.

#WATCH | They had nothing to do with the fight for Independence. RSS didn't have any contribution towards the fight for Independence...we read about the remark of 'New father of nation'...what has the 'new father' of 'new India' done for nation?: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar
(31.12) pic.twitter.com/5RdJmrasIP

— ANI (@ANI) January 1, 2023

Earlier on December 21, Amruta Fadnavis had said, "We have two 'rashtra pita'. Narendra Modi is the father of New India and Mahatma Gandhi is the father of the nation of earlier times."

Meanwhile, Bihar BJP testily reacted to its former ally's outbursts.

"RSS's contribution is nationalism. Its ideals have led to freedom in Kashmir through the abolition of Article 370. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a modern-day Vishwakarma who deserves credit for whatever progress has been there in Bihar," BJP spokesperson Arvind Kumar Singh said in a statement.

"Nitish Kumar owes his chair to the BJP, which is the RSS' offshoot. He now stands discredited," he added.