Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders on Sunday protested senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s proposed “virtual rally” scheduled at 4 p.m. on Sunday.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in State Assembly, his elder brother Tej Pratap Yadav and mother and former Chief Minister Rabri Devi came outside the gate of 10, Circular Road residence and clanked plates and bowls in protest against Mr. Shah’s proposed rally.
“BJP is the first party in the world which will be celebrating the death of the poor people and migrants…they [BJP] should have to digitally reach out to these poor migrant people, instead of organising digital rally to win elections,” Mr. Tejashwi Yadav told journalists after clanking plates and bowls for few minutes.
The RJD leaders also said that his party observed the day as ‘garib adhikar diwas’ (poor people’s rights day) against the BJP’s ‘digital rally’. “This is our way of celebrating ‘pratikar’ (protest) day against the BJP’s proposed digital rally,” he added.
Leaked letter
Making a reference of a leaked letter written by a senior State police official which was later withdrawn and which had expressed apprehension about law and order problem by the huge influx of migrants in the State, Mr. Tejashwi Yadav sought an ‘apology’ from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
“Chief Minister Nitish Kumarji should apologise to these poor migrants for the letter…the letter’s DNA has defects,” he alleged.
“ ‘Samman nahi to apman mat kijiye unka’ (if you cannot respect them, please don’t insult them)”, he said, “The RJD will continue to fight for the rights of poor people and migrant brothers”.
Black balloons
Meanwhile, the State youth Congress leaders too protested Mr. Shah’s proposed “digital rally” by releasing black balloons.
However, ruling JD(U) leader and Public Relation Department Minister Niraj Kumar along with few of his supporters came out of his residence to clap in protest against the RJD’s beating of plates and bowls.
“ ‘Taali’ (clapping) is our response to RJD’s ‘thaali’ (plate beating) exercise”, said Mr. Niraj Kumar.
In an oblique reference to the imprisoned RJD president Lalu Prasad, the JD(U) leader said, “the RJD should tell people of the State where the judicial migrant is these days?”.
Mr. Nitish Kumar too set off “digital” interaction with party leaders and workers of different districts at 11 a.m. He is expected to address party leaders and workers of four districts on Sunday.
It is said that the Chief Minister would digitally interact with party leaders and workers for next few days for several hours.
