PATNA: In a fresh attack on Union home minister Amit Shah, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that he gives no importance to the taunts of “forgetting JP’s ideology” by those people whose political career began just 20 years ago, much after the JP movement of 1974.
“The person whose name you are taking, was he in any way connected to JP (Jayaprakash Narayan) or his movement? Was he in any way related with JP’s ideology? His political career began just 20 years ago. Does it make any sense for him to comment on JP? You people get it inquired that in which year he came into politics? I don’t want to give any importance to the remarks of those people whose political career began just 20 year ago. What sort of idea do they (BJP leaders) have about the ideology of JP?” Nitish retorted back when asked about Shah’s recent comment at the Loknayak’s village Sitab Diara that the “disciples of JP sacrificed his ideology, and are now sitting in the lap of the Congress.”
Responding to media queries after paying floral tributes before the statue of veteran socialist leader Ram Manohar Lohia on his death anniversary at a park in Kankarbagh area here, the Bihar CM also said they (BJP leaders) were free to make what sorts of comments/ taunts they want to make on him. “They have no information about ‘anything’ about JP. We had a long association with JP. And now, they are “telling” us about JP. What kind of information do they have about JP?” asked Nitish who was part of the JP’s student’s movement in Bihar in 1974.
“But now, they have got an opportunity to remain in power at the Centre shot at power. As they are in power, whatever they speak against me, the media highlights them a lot. What can I do, can I tell you anything? If they speak against me, all Delhi-based newspapers carry them prominently,” Nitish said. The CM was responding to media queries after
While reacting over Shah’s remarks on Tuesday, Nitish said, “He (Shah) came into prominence in political circles only 2002 onwards, when the current Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was the chief minister (of Gujarat). What was his political standing then and where was he before that period? … If he wants to make comments about the JP movement of 1974, what does he know about JP and his movement? How old is he?”
Nitish also made fun of Bihar BJP president Sanjay Jaiswal by telling journalists to ask from Jaiswal that when was he in the RJD. Asked about a Facebook post by the BJP state president in which Jaiswal took potshots at the Ntish-led government over non fulfilment of the promise of 10 lakh jobs, made by deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav, Nitish said, “Please ask from Jaiswal when was he in the RJD.”
Initially, Nitish expressed ignorance about Jaiswal when asked about the BJP chief’s Facebook post. “Who is he? I cannot make out who you are talking about,” Nitish said in a bid to not give any importance to Jaiswal who once contested assembly elections as the RJD candidate.
