NEW DELHI: The INDIA alliance meeting witnessed some tense moments on Tuesday after Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar launched a tirade against DMK leader T R Baalu, who requested an English translation of the former’s Hindi speech.
A source said Baalu requested RJD leader Manoj Jha to translate as he was unable to understand Hindi. But when Jha sought the Bihar CM’s permission, the JD(U) leader snapped: “We call our country Hindustan and Hindi is our national language. We should learn the language.”
The other leaders intervened to de-escalate the situation as Nitish was visibly agitated. “Otherwise, the situation would have gone out of control,” said a leader, adding that Manoj Jha had translated speeches in the previous meetings.
Baalu attended the meet along with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin. Sources said Nitish’s speech was in the beginning of the meeting and the heated exchange happened much before TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal proposed Mallikarjun Kharge as the PM face of the alliance in the 2024 elections. “He (Nitish) looked unsettled from the beginning of the meeting,” said a leader.