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Journalism of Courage
RJD chief Lalu Prasad triggered a political storm Tuesday by saying that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was going on his proposed statewide tour — ‘Mahila Samvad Yatra’ — for voyeuristic pleasure. Although the RJD sought to downplay Prasad’s remark as “banter,” Kumar’s JD(U) and ally BJP condemned it as “sexist” and disrespectful to women.
Meanwhile, Prasad threw his weight behind West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to lead the opposition INDIA bloc. It came a day after AICC secretary Shahnawaz Alam, who is a co-in charge of Bihar, had hinted that the party was no longer willing to play the role of “little brother” in the Mahagathbandhan, the state’s prototype of the INDIA bloc.
“Mamata ko de do (give it to Mamata Banerjee),” Prasad told reporters, adding that the Congress should not keep the Opposition alliance’s leadership.
When asked about CM Kumar’s coming yatra, which is scheduled to start December 15, Prasad said: “Acha hai, nayan sekne ja rahe hain (he is going for voyeuristic pleasure)”.
He repeated the remark when asked about NDA’s claim it will win 225 seats (out of 243) in 2025 polls. “Pahle aankh sek lein apna (let him first soothe his eyes),” said Prasad.
Reacting, senior BJP leader and Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary said: “We had so far known that Lalu Prasad had been physically ill. After his highly sexist remarks against women, one may now say that he had been mentally sick.”
Union Minister Giriraj Singh pooh-poohed the RJD chief’s remark: “Chhi! chhi! Only Lalu Prasad can speak like this. What can one expect from a tainted politician?”
JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said, “What Lalu Prasad said is reflective of RJD’s attitude towards women voters.” “He (Prasad) has disrespected the women constituency at large. It is a matter of record how much the Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has done for women empowerment, right from giving them 50 per cent quota at panchayat levels to 35 per cent reservation in government jobs to sundry welfare and education schemes,” the JD(U) spokesperson said.
The RJD, however, defended itself. It instead demanded that Nitish clarify his “undignified and highly sexist remarks” on women in the state Assembly in 2023.
RJD spokesperson Mrityunjay Tiwari told The Indian Express, “People are reading too much into Lalu (Prasad)’s off-the-cuff remarks said in a light vein by way of banter. NDA should take note that RJD alone has given the first and only woman CM, Rabri Devi.”
“As for allegations of causing disrespect to women, let BJP and JD (U) first clarify Nitish Kumar’s outrageous statement in Bihar legislature on his suggestion to prevent conception by women in 2023. It was the Bihar CM who had brought disrespect to women from a pious forum like the state legislature,” he added.
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