'Biharis don't have much brains': Tamil Nadu Min's remark at DMK party meet sparks row

In a party meeting, which also doubled as an employment camp organised at Trichy's Kalai Arangam Convention Centre in Tamil Nadu recently, DMK Minister KN Nehru triggered a new controversy after he blamed former Bihar chief minister and Union railway minister Lalu Prasad Yadav 'packed Railways with Biharis and took away many jobs that should go to people of Tamil Nadu.

'Biharis don't have much brains'

KN Nehru did not seem to mince his words for his apparent disapproval of the Centre's system to appoint a mix of recruits from all states and he was seen commenting on the issue further escalating tensions between people of Tamil Nadu and migrant labourers from Bihar and UP. In a shocking remark, he claims, 'Biharis don't have much brains, but at the Trichy Ponmalai railway workshop, there are more than 4,000 Biharis working there. Similarly, they can be seen as gatekeepers for railway gates all over Tamil Nadu,' he said.

KN Nehru while observing that people of Tamil Nadu were also equally responsible as they displayed no sign or inclination to undertake jobs and positions with the central government, opined at the employment drive which was called 'Directing Trichy' which aimed at providing employment to the youth of the city, where he had promised that over 15,000 people who registered with the designated portal will be given jobs according to their qualifications. 

To all those who registered, a one-week training program from July 23 will be conducted via YouTube through industry experts, where they will train all applicants on how to prepare for an interview and share knowledge. It is expected that more than 150 businesses participated in the drive as well as the party's meeting.

Employment drive becomes platform for language divide 

The Minister of Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply continued his attack on labourers and stated that then Railways Minister Lalu Yadav was primarily responsible for this predicament. While only 10 % of jobs are allotted for people of other states, it's much higher in Tamil Nadu as people don't seem to apply for central government positions, including railways and banks and police force.

'Compared to the southern states, the youth of Tamil Nadu are on par with those from Kerala in terms of intelligence. Therefore, people from Tamil Nadu should try harder for central government jobs. Karunanidhi once told me to become an MP. I turned down the offer saying I did not know Hindi or English. I am sorry now,' he concluded. 

KN Nehru's unnecessary slant on Biharis has caused an uproar in the city. Notably, Prasanth Kishore, who strategised for the DMK in the last state Assembly elections, is also from Bihar.

Will allow Tamil Nadu NEET students to cheat

The veteran DMK Minister had previously justified allowing students of Tamil Nadu to cheat in NEET exams at a political rally on March 18, 2021. He alleged that students in states such as Bihar and Madhya Pradesh also copied in exams and that if DMK was elected back to power, it would allow the same privileges for aspiring medical students in the state.