Patna, Sep 1 (IANS): Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of churning out data from "thin air".
After Modi ended his election rally in Bhagalpur town, the Janata Dal-United leader tweeted: "I increasingly wonder if he would ever be able to improve his understanding and use of facts and figures."
The chief minister said that Rs.2.7 lakh crore would be available to implement the seven programmes he (Nitish Kumar) had announced over the next five years. "Modiji should relax!
"Modi's talk of health infrastructure is ironical because it’s his government that has reduced health budget and stopped universal health plan.
"Modi must have whipped up his figures and data today from the same place he whipped up his special package - thin air," Nitish Kumar added.
Nitish Kumar reiterated his resolve to provide Rs.1,000 a month as unemployment allowance to youths in the age group of 20-25 years and loans of up to Rs.4 lakh through student credit cards.
He said he was also committed to setting up a Rs.500 crore venture capital fund, and providing free internet in colleges and universities.
And 35 percent of all government jobs would be reserved for women, he added.
Earlier, before Modi's arrival in Bihar, Nitish Kumar asked the prime minister to "stop rhetoric (and) chest thumping", and deliver the promises he made ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2014.
"Show moral courage. Accept insufficiencies in delivering on old promises," he said in a series of tweets.
"Respect the sentiments of the people of Bihar who have been troubled by your unkept promises and unsavoury comments," he said.
Asking Modi to take back "your derogatory words" made in earlier speeches, he said: "Deliver your promise of special status to Bihar. Don’t mislead with so-called package where 86 percent is repackaged old schemes.
"Live up to your 2014 election promise of decriminalization and announce (that) no ticket (will be given) to candidates with criminal background."
The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies will be pitted in the coming assembly elections against the ruling Janata Dal-United and its allies the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress.