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Days after veteran socialist Sharad Yadav sought urgent Opposition unity and said taking up the Kashi Vishwanath Temple-Gyanvapi mosque issue would deepened communal discord in the country, RJD chief Lalu Prasad has echoed similar sentiments.
In his virtual address to the RJD-led Grand Alliance on the occasion of Sampoorna Kranti Diwas on Sunday, Lalu said the country is at the same crossroads due to the communal polarisation wrought in by the party governing at the Centre as it was in 1974, when Jayprakash Narayan, or JP, gave the call for Total Revolution in 1974. Indira Gandhi had imposed Emergency the following year.
Lalu cautioned opposition parties in the state and underlined the need for Opposition unity to take on “firkaparast taakate” (communal forces).
“JP taught us to fight against dictatorship. All democratic parties came together in this fight,” he said. “JP explained how Sampoorna Kranti (Total Revolution) meant fighting for rights of the last man. Aaj desh ki wahi stithi ho rahi hai. Ye jo firkaparast taakate hain bhaichare ko, ekta ko khatm karna chahte hain. Maine pahle bhi kai baar kahan hai civil war jaisi sthiti ho rahi hai jis tarah BJP ka karya ho raha hai… (These communal forces have been threatening unity and feeling of brotherhood (among various communities).”
The former Bihar CM said, “Like I have said it before, there has been civil war-like situation given the way the BJP is functioning.”
Besides RJD, Sunday’s meeting was attended by the Left parties — CPI, CPI(M), CPI (M-L). The Congress, a Grand Alliance partner, skipped the meeting.
Sampoorna Kranti Diwas, which marks the beginning of the 1974 Bihar Movement, later known as JP Movement, had been against Congress under the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
Socialist and Gandhian leader Jayprakash Narayan led the Bihar Movement against Indira Gandhi government by giving Total Revolution call on June 5. A year later, Indira Gandhi had imposed Emergency across the country.
Sunday’s address was Lalu Prasad’s second address to the party leaders. In February this year, he addressed the party leaders in person in Patna. Last year, he had virtually addressed a party meeting. Lalu has been very active on social media, managed by his party workers in due consultation with him.
On Sunday, Lalu said all parties concerned about democratic values should come together. He made an appeal to the parties to raise voices against inflation and unemployment.
“Laluji’s virtual or direct interaction with party leaders and workers infuses new energy in us. Laluji is among a few Opposition leaders who can target BJP in this manner”, said RJD national spokesperson Subodh Kumar Mehta.
RJD chose the occasion to release an ‘aarop patra’ (charge sheet) against the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar. Releasing a report card against Nitish Kumar government on behalf of Grand Alliance, RJD asked why Bihar has been at the bottom among states in human development index.
GA also questioned Kumar’s silence on note ban or demonetisation and the New Educational Policy (NEP). It also raised questions on why Bihar has been on 24th place among states in terms of women empowerment.
Notably, RJD is on same page with Nitish on caste census.
Meanwhile, responding to GA’s report card of the state government, Nitish Kumar said: “Let the Opposition use its right to criticise the government”.
