By Ajay Kumar
Patna, Jan 15 (IANS) The Rashtriya Janata Dal in Bihar is facing a tough time for the last few weeks thanks to its leaders like Sudhakar Singh, Vijay Kumar Mandal and Chandrashekher Yadav.
Sudhakar Singh and Vijay Kumar Mandal directly targeted Chief Minister Nitish Kumar while Chandrashekher Yadav gave an undue edge to the Bharatiya Janata Party by giving a controversial statement on the Ram Charit Manas. Interestingly, the RJD top leadership failed to take disciplinary action against any of them.
Moreover, the party’s state president Jagadanand Singh openly supported Bihar education minister Chandrashekher Yadav in front of the media. Though, he was immediately countered by the party national vice president Shivanand Tiwari but the party supreme leader Lalu Prasad Yadav or Tejashwi Yadav did not comment on it.
The current stand of the RJD top leadership has led to speculation in Bihar with every person putting in their two bits.
A theory doing the rounds in Bihar is that the current stand of the top leadership is a deliberate attempt to target CM Nitish Kumar and acquire some more power in the government. Since, this ploy is not working for Tejashwi Yadav, he wants to give undue benefits to the BJP through objectionable remarks on holy books like Ram Charit Manas.
The politics around Hindu ideology actually suits the BJP which the RJD leaders know well. Still, they are giving statements like Chandrashekher Yadav did on Wednesday when he claimed that Ram Charit Manas along with two other books, Manu Smriti and RSS second chief MS Golwalkar’s Bunch of Thoughts spread hatred in society.
The statements by Sudhakar Singh and Vijay Kumar Mandal were directly affecting the fate of the Mahagathbandhan government in Bihar. As a result, the JD-U objected to their statements and leaders like Upendra Kushwaha warned the RJD and Tejashwi Yadav to control their legislators. The statement of Chandrashekher Yadav benefited the BJP.
The JD-U parliamentary board president Upendra Kushwaha said: “RJD leaders like Sudhakar Singh and Chandrashekher Yadav are deliberately giving statements to benefit the BJP.”
“Talking about Ram Charit Manas is clearly indicating that the RJD is batting on the BJP pitch. The saffron party wants a discussion on this subject and RJD leaders are giving them opportunities. The leaders of the RJD are working to benefit the BJP. We believe in the social justice and development work of Nitish Kumar. The BJP believes in communalizing things. If they work in the interest of social justice, it will benefit us and if they talk on religious sentiments, it will benefit the BJP,” Kushwaha said.
“Chandrashekher Yadav spoke on Ram Charit Manas and Sudhakar Singh used abusive words for our chief minister Nitish Kumar and he is continuing his statements. Moreover, the RJD state president supports it which means the party has a clear stand on it. Tejashwi Yadav said that the statement of Sudhakar Singh is in favour of the BJP. It is extremely unfortunate that action has not been taken against these two leaders,” Kushwaha said.
“There is a strong buzz that the RJD and the BJP work for each other. The RJD wants some benefits from the BJP led central government and the BJP wants an edge in Bihar. People are suspecting it and their suspicions become stronger when action is not taken against them,” Upendra Kushwaha said, hinting at benefits in the CBI cases against RJD chief Lalu Prasad, Tejashwi Yadav and their family members in the land for job case.
Four-time MP Rajesh Ranjan alias Pappu Yadav lambasted Chandrashekher Yadav and also criticized RJD state president Jagadanand Singh for supporting him.
“Instead of addressing the issues of BPSC and BSSC question papers leak, the session of universities examinations getting late, the education minister of Bihar is giving controversial statements on Ram Charit Manas. Shockingly, state president Jagadanand Singh is supporting him. He and his son are having a feudal mindset. They do not want to see Nitish Kumar as the chief minister of Bihar. The RJD should control its legislators in the interest of Bihar,” he said.
Following his statement, JD-U leaders are looking for an opportunity to get the upper hand against the RJD. After JD-U MLC and party chief spokesperson Neeraj Kumar and building construction minister Ashok Chaudhary, party national president Lalan Singh put the ball in the court of Tejashwi Yadav and Lalu Prasad Yadav.
“It is up to the RJD top leadership to take a decision on Chandrashekher Yadav. As far as the JD-U is concerned, we respect every religion and holy books. We object to any such statement that hurts the religious sentiments of the society.”
–IANS
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