Piyush Goyal withdraws remark on Bihar, says 'no intention to insult state, people'

Union Minister Piyush Goyal withdrew his remark to RJD leader Manoj Jha that his party would one day turn the entire “country into Bihar” if they have their way, saying he had no intention of insulting the State or its people.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday rescinded on his claim that the RJD will one day convert the entire "nation like Bihar" if given the chance, stating he had no intention of disparaging the state or its people. 

Jha, who had on Wednesday sent a letter to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar regarding the minister's "demeaning" statement, requested an apology from the BJP politician at the beginning of Rajya Sabha proceedings on Thursday. Goyal, the Leader of the House and Minister of Commerce and Industry, declared that he would instantly retract the comment if it had offended anyone.

"Let me say up front that there is absolutely no effort to disparage Bihar or the Bihari people. And I will right away withdraw that comment if it has in any way damaged somebody. It was not created with any ill will against anyone," he added.

On Tuesday, Goyal made the statement while Jha was discussing the Appropriations Bill, which asked Parliament to approve more spending.

Goyal said, "inka bas chale to desh ko Bihar bana dein (if they have their way, they would transform the country into Bihar)," as he argued the government should give the poor and corporate entities equal attention.

Affirming that an insult to Bihar is an insult to the whole nation on Thursday, Jha requested that Goyal retract his statement. Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of the Congress and the leader of the opposition, joined Jha in calling on Goyal to apologise.

As the Leader of the House of Rajya Sabha, Jha advised Goyal to "think and consider on whether the contemptuous tone with which he speaks about Bihar is suitable" since it was "demeaning" to one of the largest states.