Allies BJP, JD-U in fresh bout over Ashoka’s legacy

Over the last few years, one of the parties concluded that Ashoka was a Kushwaha (Koeri) by caste while the other fixed April 14 as his birth anniversary.

The two key constituents of the ruling National Democratic Alliance in Bihar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which have frequently been clashing on a host of issues of late, are once again ranged against each other for claiming the legacy of ancient emperor Ashoka the Great, whose empire had its capital in Patliputra (today’s Patna) but extended much beyond today’s north India.

Janata Dal-United leaders at the Ashoka Jayanti function in Patna on Saturday. (HT photo)

Over the last few years, one of the parties concluded that Ashoka was a Kushwaha (Koeri) by caste while the other fixed April 14 as his birth anniversary.

On Saturday, a day after top BJP leaders attended a function in Patna and paid their tributes to the 3rd century BC emperor, chief minister Nitish Kumar joined the issue, claiming it was his party JD (U) which started the custom of celebrating Samarat Ashok Jayanti.

Kumar said there is no official confirmation of the birth anniversary of Emperor Ashoka. “Some people did research, which revealed his special association with the date of Ashtami after which we decided that his birth anniversary would be celebrated on Ashtami. I garland the statue of Emperor Ashoka every year and whenever I come to Samrat Ashok Convention centre,” he said at a function organised by JD-U on Saturday to pay homage to the emperor, which was also attended by party’s national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh.

On Friday, the BJP function was attended by union ministers Bhupendra Yadav and Nityanand Rai and deputy chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Keshav Prasad Maurya. It was organised by Samrat Chowdhary, a minister in Bihar government, who claimed BJP was the only party which organised function on the occasion regularly.

Kushwahas, together with Kurmis, form nearly 13-14% of Bihar’s population and are a major chunk of non-Yadav other backward classes (OBCs).

After the 2020 assembly elections, Nitish Kumar brought back into JD-U his old protege Upendra Kushwaha, who had formed his own political outfit and became a minister in the Narendra Modi’s first cabinet.

In January this year, BJP and JD-U were locked in a war of words over the comparison of Ashoka with Aurangzeb in a book written by Daya Nand Sinha, a Padma Shri awardee who, as claimed by JD-U, is a BJP sympathiser.

Nitish ‘surprised’ over Council polls results

Chief minister Nitish Kumar said on Saturday he was surprised about the poll results for the 24 Legislative Council seats. “In many seats where the candidates were claiming victory, results came completely opposite,” he said.

“Last time, my party was in alliance with RJD, but BJP got more seats,” he said.