Biharis should learn Marathi: Yashwant Sinha

The Bihar Foundation, Mumbai, organised the Bihar Day celebration at Shanmukhananda Hall on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, former finance minister Yashwant Sinha said: “Not just the labourer from Bihar, its credit ratio too helps fuel other state economies. Of the total credit ratio of Bihar, 2/3rd goes out and only 1/3rd is left with the state.”
The others present at the function were MP Eknath Gaekwad, NCP general secretary Ramesh Salve and Bihar minister Ramesh Chandra Thakur.

Taking a subtle dig at the anti-Bihari remarks, Sinha said, “Post independence, a lot of people came to Bihar, but no one asked them to learn Hindi. Biharis are large-hearted and they like to be with everyone.” However, he added: “The reason people did not ask them to learn Hindi is because they knew the language.”
Supporting the call for Biharis to learn Marathi, Thakur said,

“Everyone should know Marathi. That way brotherhood increases and people can understand each other’s problems.”

Terming the agitation against Biharis as the creation of only a handful of people, he said, “Maharasthrian at large did not share such feelings.”