Tejashwi Slams Mohan Bhagwat For 'India's True Independence' Remark: 'No Role In Freedom Struggle'
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said the RSS had played "no role in the struggle for Independence", and the Sarsanghchalak had "insulted freedom fighters of all hues".
Patna, Jan 15 (PTI): RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday flayed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat for equating the construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya with the attainment of "true Independence" by India.
The former Bihar deputy chief minister spoke to journalists in Jehanabad district where he alleged that the RSS had played "no role in the struggle for Independence", and the Sarsanghchalak had "insulted freedom fighters of all hues".
"Thousands of people went to jail and gave up their lives in the freedom movement. The RSS chief, whose organisation did not recognise the national flag until recently, has insulted them," Yadav alleged.
"Mohan Bhagwat's utterances are an insult to Mahatma Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh, Veer Kunwar Singh and Maharani Laxmi Bai, all of whom had made supreme sacrifices for the nation," the RJD leader claimed.
He also alleged that the RSS, and its political offshoot BJP, which is in power at the Centre, were "hostile towards Dalits and OBCs in their outlook".
"In future, the BJP may do away with reservations and declare it azadi (freedom) of some other type. They should tell us when will Dalits and OBCs get the emancipation (azadi) that is their due," said the RJD leader.
Yadav, who is now the leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly, claimed, "Leaders of the BJP and the RSS speak nonsense only to divert public attention from the fact that the country seems to be heading towards enslavement (gulaami)".
The RJD leader also alleged, "The BJP, before coming to power, used to shed copious tears on the devaluation of the rupee and claimed that it would lead to economic subjugation. Now what do they have to say when one dollar is worth Rs 86." Talking about politics in the state, he dismissed speculations of realignment with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who heads the JD(U), stating that "time is up for such things. We are now looking at the assembly elections due in a few months".
Predicting the "defeat of the ruling NDA", Yadav claimed, "Bihar will vote for a new government that cares for social harmony and is responsive to the state's crying need for jobs and better education and health care".
The RJD leader was also asked to disclose what he meant by "DK tax", which sounded like his earlier jibe "RCP tax" which was aimed at a bureaucrat-turned-politician who later became a close aide of the chief minister.
Yadav replied, "We are collecting evidence and will soon tell the people who is DK boss, the ultimate beneficiary of the corruption that is seen in government works and posting of police officials".
"Nitish ji is a tired man. He is like an uncle to me. But he no longer appears to be in good shape. I doubt if he is able to take decisions on his own. A coterie of powerful bureaucrats prevents him from directly interacting with the people," Yadav alleged.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
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