BJP & JD(U) attack Telangana CM-elect for his DNA remarks

Patna: Congress’s CM designate for Telangana, Revanth Reddy, invited sharp criticism from BJP as well as Bihar minister and JD(U) functionary Ashok Kumar Choudhary for belittling the Bihari DNA, OBC category Kurmi caste, and by implication, state CM Nitish Kumar, who belongs to the same caste.It was Reddy who had first raised the issue, probably in his unguarded moment, before the scheduled assembly election. “BRS chief KCR’s DNA belongs to Bihar. KCR’s caste is Kurmi. Kurmis are from Bihar. They migrated from Bihar to Vizianagaram, and from there to Telangana,” Reddy said.“Telangana DNA is better than Bihar DNA,” the CM-elect also said, little knowing that it would snowball into a major political controversy later after the assembly election.Reacting sharply, Union minister of state for home Nityanand Rai said Congress has stooped to divisive politics after its drubbing in the recent assembly elections and Bihar CM NItish Kumar was supporting the party, whose leader has insulted Bihar and Kurmi brothers and sisters of the state by his remarks. The Ujiayarpur MP said after demeaning Sanatan Dharma, the Congress was questioning the DNA of BIhar.Bihar minister Ashok Choudhary blasted Reddy but also vaguely reminded the BJP of that it was first PM Narendra Modi himself, who during his electioneering speech in the 2015 Bihar assembly elections had said, “NItish’s DNA is bad, his political DNA is bad. ...the country has seen the fate of those who had mocked at our DNA,” Choudhary said, alluding to the 2015 assembly election results. He also blasted Reddy for his remarks. “It would be better if you don't raise the issue of our DNA, and concentrate on work for the well-being of the people of your state,” he said and added, “It is a matter of pride for we Bihari people that CM Nitish Kumar, who has the same DNA, has shown the way to women’s empowerment and global environmental protection.”Citing the historical track of Bihar and its pre-eminent contributions to national culture, Choudhary said the “same Bihari DNA had led to a movement that shook the foundations of the government” -- a reference to the 1974 movement against the then PM Indira Gandhi that culminated in the ouster of the Congress from power in 1977. Meanwhile, central BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala and the party’s IT cell chief Amit Malviya referred to Reddy’s statement and also made it viral. They, separately, challenged Nitish -- an architect of the opposition unity against BJP that led to the formation of the INDIA bloc -- to sever his ties with the “Congress and INDI Alliance”.After the Congress’s defeat in the assembly elections of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, political stock of Nitish has risen and he could also become a prominent face of the INDIA bloc. Poonawala appealed to Nitish, deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and RJD chief Lalu Prasad to take note of it, and also asked: “...Revanth Reddy says Telangana DNA is better than Bihar, Kurmi (OBC) DNA, (but) do you agree? If not, when will they break their alliance with Congress, or at least demand that an OBC is made the CM (in Telangana),” Poonawala added. Malviya said: “Meet Revanth Reddy, Congress’s CM designate who thinks KCR is of inferior DNA.., because he is a Kurmi from Bihar who migrated to Telangana. Nitish Kumar, a Kurmi and part of the INDI Alliance, should ask the Congress to clarify if they think he is of inferior DNA.”