RJD issues notice to ex-minister over comments against Nitish Kumar
The notice is being seen as an attempt to deflect attention from the row over education minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks that epic Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred in society
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has issued a notice to former minister Sudhakar Singh over his statements against chief minister Nitish Kumar, saying they have hurt the party while warning of disciplinary action amid reports of a rift in the ruling alliance.
The notice was issued on Tuesday after Singh again criticised Kumar’s government and said a unique model of loot and corruption has been developed in Bihar. He said police have failed to probe corruption as it has become state-sponsored.
The notice is being seen as an attempt to deflect attention from the row over education minister Chandrashekhar’s remarks that epic Ramcharitmanas promoted social discrimination and spread hatred.
Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) has been critical of Chandrashekhar and demanded action and an apology. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sought to cash in on the controversy.
The notice was issued on RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s directions. It said only the party’s top leadership was authorised to speak on alliance issues. “You have violated this and given strength to forces trying to trample the Constitution and destroy equality and harmony.”
The notice asked Singh to respond within 15 days about why disciplinary action should not be initiated against him.
RJD leader and deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav earlier described Singh as a BJP agent. But Singh kept attacking Kumar, saying this was in line with RJD’s old and consistent ideology.
Addressing a rally on Tuesday against the alleged police assault on farmers demanding compensation for their land acquired for a power plant in Buxar, Singh said individuals have hijacked the Central as well as the state governments and democratic institutions. He alleged no farmer in the state was selling produce at the minimum support price.
Singh asked the farmers in Bihar to protest like those from Punjab and Haryana did to get contentious laws revoked and teach the state government a lesson.
He referred to the Ramcharitmanas row and alleged that JD(U) was reacting like the BJP. “Both the BJP and JD(U) leaders are singing in the same tune.”
He said the Constitution in the secular country is supreme and not the religious scriptures.
Former AN Sinha Institute of Social Studies director DM Diwakar said the notice is an indication that RJD does not want to ruffle the JD(U) further but this does not mean the power struggle within the alliance will stop. “JD(U) leaves no opportunity to highlight Nitish Kumar’s achievements by drawing comparisons with the [previous] RJD regime.”
He added both the RJD and JD(U) would not like to see the disintegration of the alliance. “Both have compulsions to continue with each other if they want to keep the BJP at bay. The RJD has numerical strength and it would like to have supremacy on that count. JD(U) has the leader [Kumar], who has been at the helm for close to two decades.” He said that neither can do without the other.
Tejashwi Yadav has denied reports of the rift within the ruling alliance even as he defended Chandrashekhar. He asked people to be mindful of the BJP’s conspiracies and cautioned his party colleagues to respect all religions.
