BJP using social media for character assassination: Nitish Kumar

Patna: In a dig at BJP, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today alleged that “divisive forces” were using social media as tool for “character assassination” and spread of intolerance towards things they did not like. “When famous economist Amartya Sen praised Bihar model of development, divisive forces hailing from a party led a campaign on social media to assassinate his character,” he said at a book release function here. [caption id=“attachment_1190093” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Nitish Kumar. PTI. [/caption] “Their intolerance towards things they do not like reminds of days of Emergency in 1975 when freedom of speech was throttled,” Kumar said. Noting that this was “misuse” of social media to create a “certain type of environment”, he asked in which era ’they’ want to take the country? “If one does not agree with an opinion one can counter it with a counter argument. But when you have no answer you resort to character assassination with the help of social media,” he said. After release of the book on development of Bihar edited by diplomat-turned JD(U) MP N K Singh, Amrtya Sen had praised Bihar model and he told a TV channel that he did not want Modi to become Prime Minister as he did not have secular credentials. Infuriated by this, BJP MP Chandan Mitra had said the Bharat Ratna award, conferred on him by the NDA government, should be taken back from Sen. Mitra, however, regretted his remark later. The book “The New Bihar: Rekindling governance and development” which was released by Sen in Rashtrapati Bhawan in July and presented the first copy to President Pranab Mukherjee was released in Patna by Nitish Kumar today. The book release function was followed by a panel discussion on Bihar development. While the panelists analysed the turnout of Bihar from a BIMARU state into a developed one now, the Chief Minister sat among audience. PTI