Remarks on Priyanka: Opposition seeks Bihar Minister’s apology

Patna, Jan 25 (IANS) A day after a senior BJP leader and Bihar Minister Vinod Narain Jha made a controversial statement about newly-appointed Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, the opposition in Bihar on Friday dared Chief Minister Niish Kumar to ask his Minister to apologise in public.

Leaders of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress and the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) attacked Jha for making demeaning remarks against Priyanka Gandhi and demanded his apology.

Jha on Thursday said: "Priyanka Gandhi is very beautiful, but has no other talent. She is a novice in politics. She must be what, 37-38, or maybe older, 44. Till this age, she has no political achievement. Yes, she is good-looking, God has given her that. But how much can she exploit that?"

However, Jha is not the only Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Minister who targeted Priyanka Gandhi. Another senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi earlier said the Congress is feeling happy "over the induction of a woman with a tainted life partner".

Without naming Priyanka's husband Robert Vadra, Modi said that her businessman husband's irregular land transactions are spread across two states and he is facing probes. "If the Congress wants to exult over the induction of a woman with a tainted life partner, it is most welcome to do so."

"Nitish Kumar should take care that his ally leaders don't make such irresponsible statements and now it is Nitish Kumar's turn to ensure that his Minister apologises in public," RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said.