PATNA: While thanking PM Narendra Modi for describing him a true socialist, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Monday made a veiled attack on RJD supremo Lalu Prasad for promoting "parivarvad" (nepotism) in politics.
Nitish also said that the politicians engaged in promoting "parivarvad" would not continue for a longer period and this trend has started surfacing at many places.
Modi, in a recent interview with a news agency, had equated "Nitish Babu" with the great socialist leaders like Ram Manohar Lohia and George Fernandes who never promoted members of their families in politics. The PM also asked the interviewer if he had seen Nitish’s family in politics.
"I am for society. When I say fake socialism, it is 'parivarvad'. Do you see Lohia’s family anywhere, he was a socialist; do you see the family of George Fernandes, he was also a Samajwadi. Nitish Babu, he is working with us, he is also a socialist. Do you see his family?" Modi said in an interview five days ago.
Responding to a media query in context of Modi’s recent remark over nepotism and fake socialism, Nitish said, "It is the PM’s ‘Kripa’ that he said all these things (about me). Otherwise, everybody knows that I am a disciple of Lohia. It was Lohia who built up socialism in the country and followed it. We all are Lohia’s disciples. But, we are not in ‘parivarvad’. I always say that the entire Bihar is one family. But some people describe the family of their own home as ‘family’ and promote ‘parivarvad’. Thus, ‘samajvad (socialism) gets crushed. In socialism, all people are the members of one family. It is a very basic thing of socialism."
Nitish was responding to media queries after his weekly "Janta Ke Darbar Mein Mukhyamantri" programme in the state capital.
Thanking Modi, Nitish also said, "PM has said whatever he has seen. He has said whatever has been happening so far. …. I have been in socialism since my student life or ever since I came into politics."
Being asked about the opposition leaders' logic that a man cannot be described as a "true socialist" only because any member of his family is not interested in joining politics, Nitish said, "These are all useless and meaningless statements. The PM has said a very accurate thing."
"He is not giving prestige or position to any other people in the party. The prestige and positions are being given only to the members of a family. So, how can you be a 'samajvadi'. You have a 'parivarvad.' The PM has said the right thing. Some people established wife in politics, some people their sons. You have done labours in politics. It is alright up to you. But now you are promoting only members of a family. It is not a good practice. The PM has pointed out only these things," Nitish said while making a veiled attack towards the RJD chief Lalu Prasad.
"What is his experience. His only experience is that he was born in a particular family," Nitish said, hinting towards Lalu’s son Tejashwi Yadav, but he did not take the name of any leader.
Bihar CM also said that the politicians who are centralized upto their own family, might survive for the time being, but they would not continue for a longer period. "A time will come when such people will have no future. This trend has already begun surfacing at many places. You must find out," he said.
Without taking names of any political outfit, Nitish also said that it was not a good thing that people without any experience or knowledge were being placed at the party’s key posts. It would lead to degeneration in the party. The PM has said the right thing about the "parivarvad".
The PM's praise for Nitish has helped defuse tension between the BJP and the JD(U), the two leading NDA allies in Bihar. Both the allies, in recent days, had diverse opinions on a whole range of issues -- from demand for grant of special category status to enforcement of prohibition, and execution of Pradhan Mantri Gramya Sadak Yojna.
