Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday parried questions on the Income Tax department's survey operations at Delhi and Mumbai offices of the BBC, which came close on the heels of the ban on its documentary on the 2002 Gujarat riots.
Nitish, who has of late been critical of alleged muzzling of the media by the BJP government at the Centre, was asked about the IT department's action by journalists in Samastipur district which he visited as part of the state-wide "Samadhan Yatra".
"Vo to chalta rahna hai (such things do keep taking place)", wearily said Nitish, who has been pitching for "Opposition unity" in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, when he believes a defeat can be inflicted on the seemingly invincible BJP, which he had dumped six months ago.
Notably, the IT department's survey has been criticized sharply by the Congress, an ally of Nitish in Bihar, and the CPI(M), which supports his government from outside.
The BJP, which has been sore over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's uncharitable portrayal in the BBC documentary, has latched on to the opportunity to vent spleen against the broadcaster, accusing it of "venomous" reporting.
Earlier, Nitish visited Muzaffarpur as part of Samadhan Yatra and expressed distaste over having to respond to "political" questions while his attention was focused on the mass outreach programme which began more than a month ago and comes to a close later this week.
When his comments were sought on Union Home Minister Amit Shah's claim that BJP will sweep the Lok Sabha polls, the septuagenarian JD(U) leader replied with stock in trade "khushi manaayein (let them rejoice)".
About a controversy stirred by Ghulam Rasool Baliyavi, a former legislator of his party, who has sought quotas for Muslims in "Agnipath" scheme of recruitment in armed forces, Kumar said "I do not pay much heed to what people keep saying offhand. But if you all insist I will enquire from him".
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