On Bihar leaders’ effusive praise for ‘Yogi model’, Tejashwi Yadav’s stinging swipe

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said calls for Bihar BJP leaders to emulate what they call the “Yogi (Adityanath) model” meant that they do not consider themselves to be good enough.

PATNA: Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Monday said that the Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders’ effusive praise for the “Yogi model” and “bulldozer style” governance in Uttar Pradesh was an admission that the BJP does not have a leadership face or a model of its own for Bihar.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Bihar Legislative Assembly Tejashwi Yadav hit out at BJP leaders who called for emulating the model adopted by Yogi Adityanath in Uttar Pradesh. (ANI)

“The statement shows that a state having two deputy chief ministers from the BJP has no leader who could have his own model of governance to suit Bihar’s needs. They don’t consider themselves good enough. This is from a party that claims to be the biggest in the country. It is abject surrender,” he added.

Yadav’s swipe at Bihar BJP leaders comes after several party leaders issued statements over the last few days praising the Yogi model of development in the context of the use of bulldozers to demolish properties owned by people facing criminal charges. On Sunday, Chapra authorities did try to replicate the model when the house of an alleged criminal who has been on the run was razed to the ground.

BJP leaders such as agriculture minister Amarendra Pratap Singh rushed the support the police action. This action, he said, “will instill a sense of administrative fear among the criminals like it’s being used to check crime in Uttar Pradesh”.

BJP lawmaker Vinay Bihari has also advocated the use of bulldozers on the lines of UP to create fear among criminals. “The UP model is the demand of time,” he added.

Leaders from Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) have, however, expressed their reservations. “Bihar has a successful Nitish Kumar model and it has delivered in establishing the rule of law and pulling the state out of the ignominy of ‘jungle Raj’. Every state has its own model,” said JD-U Parliamentary board president and former union minister Upendra Kushwaha.

On Saturday, Tejashwi Yadav questioned the “bulldozer Baba” slogan in Uttar Pradesh - it is a reference to Yogi Adityanath government’s use of bulldozers against alleged criminals - and the calls from Bihar BJP leaders to replicate it in Bihar, saying this hadn’t really helped improve the law and order situation in UP.

Yadav told reporters on Monday that the attack on chief minister Nitish Kumar was a reflection of the ground reality in Bihar. “It is strange that the CM is attacked in his home and no heads (of police officers) roll. Suspension of small officers or cops is very promptly done. When the CM is not safe, that tells about the ground reality. Lack of prompt action only emboldens them. I say that the state is witnessing a rape every four hours and murder every five hours,” he added.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal leader exuded confidence about the performance of candidates from the Opposition in the election for 24 legislative council seats from local bodies. “Those who got elected to panchayat bodies are not happy with the state government as their schemes were taken away and they will certainly vote accordingly. The trend was apparent during the panchayat polls also,” he added.