Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai regrets making 'finger chopping' remark

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Bihar unit chief Nityanand Rai said he regretted the statement on asking party supporters to chop off the fingers and hands of people who voice criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking to ABP News, Rai said that he is withdrawing the controversial comments he made. His finger chopping remark was slammed by opposition RJD and Congress. Rai, who is a Lok Sabha member from Ujiyarpur, had on Monday said: "Unki aur uthne waali ungli ko, uthne waale haath ko, hum sub milke ya toh tod dein, zaroorat padi to kaat dein (Any finger or hand raised against the Prime Minister, should either be broken by us, or, if need be, it should be chopped off)." Rai made the comment in presence of Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi who was present on stage. Rashtriya Janata Dal spokesperson Shakti Yadav said Rai has exposed the "mindset" of the Bharatiya Janata Party. "Do these words deserve any place in a democratic set-up like India? The BJP leader is behaving in this way to defend a dictator," Yadav said. Bihar Congress president Kaukab Quadri said Rai has expressed the fear of his party. He said there were growing voices of protest against the three-and-a-half-year-old central government led by Modi. "People have every right to raise their voice, finger or hands against the Prime Minister. We are living in a democratic country," he said. Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United which is in coalition with the BJP in Bihar has remained silent over the statement. None of the JD-U leaders have chosen to comment on the irrepressible comment.. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had joined hands with the BJP and formed the government in July after dumping the RJD and the Congress of the Grand Alliance. Earlier in November, Rai had also claimed that Modi is a reincarnation of Swami Vivekananda. (With inputs from IANS)