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North Indians don't need certificate from anybody: Nitish Kumar

February 07, 2008 20:40 IST

"North Indians, particularly Biharis, hardly need a certificate from anybody," says Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar

An upset Nitish Kumar on Thursday made it clear that north Indians, particularly Biharis, do not need a certificate from anybody on being law abiding. He was reacting to Delhi's Lt Governor Tejender Khanna remarks that north Indians take "pride in violating the law".

"North Indians are hard working people, earning their livelihood by doing hard labour outside Bihar or Uttar Pradesh," Nitish Kumar said .

Without naming Khanna, Nitish Kumar said people holding Constitutional posts should not make remarks against a section of the people. It will set a wrong trend and send a wrong message, he said.

Earlier, Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav said people holding Constitutional posts like governor or lieutenant governor should refrain from making such statements.

Sometime back, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit also made a statement against Biharis and had to later give a written apology. Similarly, Khanna too made a remark against north Indians sometime back, he said.

Khanna reportedly said, "North Indians have no traffic sense. People in the south are disciplined on the roads and have good traffic sense. In north-west India, people take pride in breaking traffic laws. We want to instill a sense of respect, even fear for the law in the people here by proper enforcement."

Anand Mohan Sahay in Patna