‘Nervous about INDIA’: Lalu Yadav breaks silence on Sanatana row, stings BJP

Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav said the the BJP was trying to create an issue out of a non-issue

PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Thursday waded into the controversy over Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DKM) leader Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on the Sanatana Dharma, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to create an issue out of a non-issue because it was nervous.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav with Bihar deputy chief minsiter Tejashwi Yadav (ANI)

“The BJP is a ‘dhongi’ (fraudulent) and completely totally rattled, a reason why it is trying to create unnecessary controversies.... Ram ho ya Rahim, sabka malik ek hai (God is one),” the former chief minister told reporters at a temple in Patna where he had come for prayers on the occasion of Janmashtami.

On September 2, Udhayanidhi said that sanatana dharma is “against social justice and equality” and should hence be “eradicated”, triggering a controversy. Multiple police cases have also been filed in connection with the controversy. While a case was filed against Udhayanidhi and Karnataka minister and Congress leader Priyank Kharge, who backed the Tamil Nadu minister’s remark, in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur, cases were also registered against BJP IT department in-charge Amit Malviya for distorting the DMK leader’s remark and against an Ayodhya-based seer for putting a bounty on Udhayanidhi.

Yadav also said that the speculation over changing the country’s name to Bharat was also linked to the opposition alliance. “We have formed the INDIA alliance. We will win. This is why, BJP is nervous and they are saying something just to create an issue,” he said.

The RJD leader’s remarks on the Sanatana controversy came hours after union minister Giriraj Singh asked why Lalu Yadav, Rahul Gandhi and Nitish Kumar hadn’t spoken on it. “It has been five days since the Udhayanidhi Stalin’s statement...Rahul Gandhi, Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad Yadav are silent...When will they speak? Will these people not open their mouths without destroying Sanatan Dharma?” Giriraj Singh said.

He said, “If Rahul, Nitish and Lalu do not apologise, then the country’s Sanatana and Bihar’s Sanatana will not forgive them.”

The Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT), two constituents of INDIA grouping, adopted a cautious tone on the controversial comment on Thursday.