Lalu offers to lead anti-BJP charge; wants OBC, dalit Shankaracharyas

Addressing the RJD national executive, Lalu indicated he would target the Narendra Modi government at the centre for its alleged move to tinker with job reservation for OBCs and dalits.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad said here on Thursday he was ready to spearhead a full scale war for dislodging the BJP-led Narendra Modi government at the centre.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad addressing his party’s national committee meeting, at Rajgir on Thursday.(HT photo)

“The BJP hatao, desh bachao mega rally, that I am organising in Patna on August 27, will signal the start of a sustained agitation to end the BJP misrule by way of the party’s loss in the 2019 Lok Sabha election”, he said at the RJD’s national executive meeting.

Prasad also pitched for reserving three out of four Shankaracharya peeth positions (for dalits, OBCs and other socially disadvantaged groups), if the BJP’s hard-line Hindutva forces really believed in taking along all sections of society.

The RJD chief, under pressure from national executive members to unite and lead secular forces opposed to the communal design of the BJP-RSS combine, accepted the role, saying, “we have only talked till now. But success can come our way only through the launch of a nationwide campaign. It will begin from here.”

The RJD chief said that the secular and democratic fabric of the country was under threat. “We must corner the BJP on the promise of bringing back black money from abroad, providing jobs,attack on our jawans in our territory, escalation of tension on the border and growing intolerance in the country,” he said.

Prasad prompted party workers to start gathering cows that had passed the milk producing age and tie them at the doors of BJP leaders. “It will be interesting to see whether they are ready to feed them for life. It will also expose their love for cows,” he said, adding, “the party will herd aged cows to BJP office in Patna.”

Prasad said the frenzy of Hindutva and atmosphere of growing intolerance were not matters that concerned the minorities alone. Rather, they had a bearing on all Indians. “If the social fabric of the society is disturbed and constitutional rights are compromised, what will happen to the country?” he asked.

The RJD chief claimed that the move to set up a commission to revisit the need for job quotas (based on the Mandal Commission recommendations) was “a step directed at establishing ‘Manuwadi varna vyvastha’ (dominance of the upper castes).

He said that with leaders like Gandhi, Lohia, Ambedkar and Karpoori Thakur not around, it was up to people believing in secularism and social justice to marshal their forces for saving the country from being ‘saffronised’.

Taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prasad said that the man who criticized Mayawati for seating leaders of her (the BSP) on the floor, was doing the same with his party MPs and leaders. “It is intended to command unquestioned authority. It is the sign of things to come (dictatorship) and must be opposed.” he said.

He also asked senior leaders of the party to refrain from speaking against the RJD’s ruling ‘grand alliance’ partners, in public.