Tejashwi Yadav accuses Centre of stepmotherly treatment over Bihar floods

NEW DELHI: Bihar leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday accused the PM Modi-led Centre of giving the state "stepmotherly" treatment in flood relief, while seeking a "national disaster" tag for the flood situation.

Addressing a press conference in Patna, the RJD working president criticised chief minister Samrat Choudhary and Union ministers from Bihar for "failing to secure a relief package for Bihar". "Whenever there are floods in Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives quick assurances of relief, talks to state leadership and directs deployment of relief forces, including the Indian Air Force. However, there is a step-motherly treatment towards Bihar where he comes during election campaigns and eats 'litti chokha'," Tejashwi alleged.

Tejashwi said he wrote to PM Modi on September 7, seeking that the floods be declared a "national disaster" and demanding immediate financial assistance of Rs 5,000 crore. "The engines of the 'double-engine' government in Bihar have failed. I am not aware of how often the CM talks to PM Modi, and wonder why he has not been able to secure central assistance. There are many Union ministers from Bihar, but none has the influence to bring central help to Bihar," he said.

Tejashwi also claimed that he had received no response to letters he wrote to PM Modi and Choudhary. "Just like PM has ignored Bihar in times of flood, people will ignore him in the future," he said. The water levels of rivers in north Bihar have risen amid massive flooding in Nepal, from where several rivers flowing into Bihar originate.