Cong, RJD react sharply to PM Modi's statement on non-veg
Says, `panicky' Prime Minister is providing a new example of his `sick mindset’
The Congress and Lalu Yadav's RJD have sharply reacted to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments on opposition leaders eating non-vegetarian during the holy month of Sawan.
PM Modi's comments were seen as an attack on two videos – one of Lalu Prasad and Rahul Gandhi cooking mutton; and the other from earlier this week, of Tejashwi Yadav having fish.
While the Congress said a “panicky” Prime Minister is providing a new example of his “sick mindset”, the RJD said Modi's comments betrayed his “nervousness” over the upcoming polls, which would explain why he has “started raking up sensitive, religious and emotional issues”.
Tejashwi told media persons, “Key issues like poverty, unemployment, jobs need to be discussed. Why hasn't poverty been eradicated? Why was Bihar not given special status?”
He had earlier said the video was from April 8, before Navratri began.
Congress communication head Jairam Ramesh also reacted to Modi's comments, saying, “Unlike the Prime Minister, we have not tracked which leader ate what in which month. Here are the nutrition data points that we are tracking instead. Anaemia is caused by several factors, including iron deficiency, inadequate diet, and other nutrient deficiencies. Between 2015-16 and 2019-21, anaemia in children under 5 increased by nearly 10 percentage points. Among women aged 15 to 19, the prevalence of anaemia increased by 9.2%. In the
PM's home state of Gujarat, a shocking eight out of ten children under five were found to be anaemic.”
Further, he claimed that a Rs 4,000 crore scheme to include breakfast for school going children in the mid-may meal programme was vetoed by the Finance Ministry due to a lack of funds.
“The Global Health Indicator report shows India's child wasting rate at 18.7%, the highest among countries on its index. The child stunting rate is 35.5%, the 15th highest in the world. Malnutrition remains widespread under the Modi sarkar, and has even gotten worse according to several data indicators,” he said.
“Every day the Prime Minister provides us with a new example of his sick mindset. The Prime Minister's nonstop politicking is infantile and tiresome. A week before the first phase of polls, the BJP has barely put together a manifesto committee. Meanwhile, the Congress has published its manifesto, launched its doorto-door campaign to distribute our Guarantee Cards to every household, and started its advertisement campaign. We are setting the agenda and taking our message to the masses. A panicky Prime Minister is trying to find a new diversion every day,” Ramesh said.
RJD spokesperson Subodh Kumar Mehta condemned the Prime Minister's statement, particularly his indirect reference to Lalu Prasad Yadav. “The PM himself agreed that no law or religious text would dictate one's choice of food. But his comments show he is nervous at the very start of the election campaign. He has perhaps seen the writings on the wall.”
“Why is the PM not talking about the status of unemployment and how short-sighted schemes like Agniveer hurt the morale of the youth. Why is he not talking about how several beneficiaries of the Ujjawala scheme are not getting LPG cylinders?” Mehta said.