Patna
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Janata Dal (United) national president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh on January 25 termed Prime Minister Narendra Modi a liar. He was speaking at a function organised to mark the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur in Patna.
“These people are only engaged in false publicity. He has 56 inches of chest then why is he scared of BBC documentary and banned it for screening. All false publicity was carried out in the 2014 general election that he was son of extremely backward class (EBC). I failed to understand from where he became EBC because there is no EBC in Gujarat. The caste he [read Narendra Modi] belongs to was not even counted in backward category. When he became the Chief Minister of Gujarat, he included his caste in backward category. They speak only lies and create hatred in society through social media,” Mr. Singh said.
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Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was present at the function.
Mr. Singh further said, “He [Mr. Modi] always wants to divide society on the basis of caste and religion. He says that he used to sell tea at railway station. Country wants to know that on which railway station he used to sell tea. I am sure that nobody can find it because it was all lies and fake publicity, nothing else.”
‘Back Nitish’
Mr. Singh requested the gathering to support Mr. Kumar in the Lok Sabha poll.
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“Nitish ji is following the path of Karpoori Thakur and I will urge all the people gathered here to support him so that he can reach Delhi next year,”Mr. Singh asserted.
“Desh ka Neta Kaisa Ho Nitish Kumar Jaisa ho” (how the leader of the country would be, it would be like Nitish Kumar) slogans rented the air.
It was not only Mr. Singh but most of the leaders present on the dais said time had come for Mr. Kumar to unfurl the Tricolour at Red Fort.
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Ramnath Thakur, son of Karpoori Thakur and Rajya Sabha member, too stressed that all should support Mr. Kumar to win the battle of 2024. Bihar Finance Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary said nobody could stop Mr. Kumar from getting the top post of the country.
JD(U) State president Umesh Kushwaha said, “If the people of EBC decide to take Mr. Kumar ahead, no one can stop him from hoisting flag at Red Fort.”
In the run-up to the Lok Sabha election, all parties including the JD(U) are trying to woo the vote bank of EBCs, which constitutes about 30% of the Bihar votes. Karpoori Thakur is considered the EBC icon of Bihar.
Mr. Kumar praised the work of Karpoori Thakur but did not say anything on being projected as prime ministerial candidate.