In the Lok Sabha constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday targeted the BJP and the RSS over issues like “patriotism” and black money and said the difference between its talk and deeds should be understood in Uttar Pradesh where Assembly polls are slated next year.
“They (BJP) are talking about patriotism but their ancestor (RSS) had no role in freedom movement. When people were strugging for freedom under the leadership of ‘Bapu’ (Mahatma Gandhi), they (RSS) were nowhere. Now they are teaching patriotism,” Mr. Kumar said addressing a public meeting.
He said the RSS push for hoisting of national flag is “ideological victory of common Indians”.
“It is a matter of joy that you (RSS) have started hoisting tricolour as you were in favour of ‘bhagwa’ (saffron).
When we adopted tricolour (as national flag), BJP and its ancestors were nowhere,” the JD (U) chief said.
With Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh just a year away, Mr. Kumar raked up the issue of bringing back black money.
“If not Rs 15-20 lakh in the account of every person as promised by BJP, at least they should credit Rs. 15-20 thousand in their accounts,” he said mockingly targeting the ruling party at the Centre.
“Even BJP president Amit Shah has termed it (black money) issue as an election gimmick,” he added.
Contending that promises like increasing minimum support price for farmers and giving employment to youth were not met, Mr. Kumar said people of the country have “lost hope” in the Centre.
“The BJP is now filled with ego but it does not work in politics. In Bihar, they misled people and got 31 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2014. But they had to taste defeat at the hands of ‘Grand Alliance’ of JD (U)-Congress-RJD (in last year’s Assembly polls),” he said.
“The people of Bihar have shown the way and it is now the turn of Uttar Pradesh to understand difference in their (BJP) talks and their deeds,” he said.
Mr. Kumar asked the people of PM’s constituency as well as voters of rest of Uttar Pradesh what they were expecting from Mr. Modi and what they got.
“What were the people of UP, who gave 73 (out of 80) Lok Sabha seats to BJP, expecting? You all know the reality, what you got,” he said.
Mr. Kumar, buoyed by the Bihar Assembly results, has been talking about forging an alliance of non-NDA parties to take on BJP at the national level.
