BJP using nationalism to divert attention: Nitish

Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday accused the BJP of deliberately promoting debate on nationalism to divert people's attention from the main issue of India's poor economic condition.

"The entire country is discussing and debating nationalism, instead of how to progress and achieve high growth rate for development, thanks to a deliberate move by the people in power at the Centre to divert the attention of people from their failures," Nitish Kumar said at a function here.

He targeted the Narendra Modi government, saying it raised such an issue to engage everyone in debate across the country.

"All people are engaged in such debate... some are in favour and some are against. In such a situation, there is no need for the central government to do anything," said the Janata Dal-United leader.

Nitish Kumar said some leaders had made big promises to people ahead of the general elections, but when they realised they would not be able to fulfill them, they started such a debate to engage everyone and divert people's attention from the real issue of development.

"Real issues are missing from the debate and discussion. Instead, useless and non-issues are getting prime focus," he said.