RJD leader slams the Union Minister for remarks on minority votes, criticises BJP’s role in stoking communal tensions
Team Clarion
PATNA — A fresh controversy has erupted in Bihar politics after Union Minister Lalan Singh’s comments on the minority community’s voting patterns. Leader of Opposition and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav wasted no time in hitting back, accusing Singh of lacking credibility and pandering to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wishes. Yadav also used the opportunity to critique the BJP and its governance, linking recent incidents in Uttar Pradesh to a wider agenda to destabilise communal harmony.
Yadav dismissed Singh’s claim that minorities do not vote for Chief Minister Nitish Kumar despite his contributions to their welfare.
“Everyone knows what Lalan Singh used to say about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah when he was with us. If he is here, he will talk one way, and if he is there, he will talk another. He has no credibility of his own,” Yadav said.
Addressing the media on Monday, Yadav suggested that Singh’s remarks were intended to curry favour with BJP leaders, accusing him of abandoning consistency in his statements to serve political interests.
The Leader of the Opposition also criticised Nitish Kumar, urging him to clarify his government’s stance on the contentious Waqf Bill. While reiterating that Janata Dal (United) is now the third-largest party, Yadav accused Kumar of opportunism, alleging that his political alliances shift without clear principles.
“Lalan Singh is making statements to please Narendra Modi. Nitish Kumar must come forward and make his position clear on the Waqf Bill,” said Yadav.
Tejashwi Yadav extended his critique to the BJP’s governance, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, highlighting recent incidents as evidence of the ruling party’s alleged attempts to foster communal discord.
“Look at what is happening in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP wants to spoil the atmosphere of the country. The police, whose duty is to maintain law and order, are being misused. They are being turned into instruments of oppression,” Yadav remarked, adding that police officers and bureaucrats must adhere to their constitutional oath rather than succumbing to political pressure.
He expressed concerns over the broader implications of the BJP’s policies, accusing the party of avoiding development issues and instead promoting a violent narrative.
Yadav alleged that the BJP uses communal polarisation to divert attention from its failures in governance.
“There is no discussion on development anymore. The BJP does not address real issues. Instead, it creates chaos and violence to divide the country. The misuse of the police and administrative machinery in Uttar Pradesh is alarming,” Yadav said.
He also urged IAS and IPS officers to resist political misuse, emphasising that they must uphold justice and protect the rights of all citizens.
The controversy began when Lalan Singh, addressing a JDU workers’ conference in Muzaffarpur, claimed that Nitish Kumar had significantly contributed to the upliftment of minorities, yet they refrained from voting for him. Singh highlighted Kumar’s efforts, such as increasing madrasa teachers’ salaries in line with the Seventh Pay Commission, as evidence of his commitment to the community’s development.
“Despite all this, the minority community does not vote for Nitish Kumar,” Singh lamented.
The sharp exchange between Tejashwi Yadav and Lalan Singh underscores the escalating political tensions in Bihar as alliances shift and political narratives intensify. Yadav’s remarks reflect a broader concern over the BJP’s governance model and its implications for the nation’s secular fabric.
As the debate unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Nitish Kumar will respond to the growing demands for clarity on his government’s policies and whether Lalan Singh will address the backlash his comments have triggered.
For now, Tejashwi Yadav’s fiery criticism has ensured that the focus remains firmly on the contentious interplay of politics, religion, and governance in Bihar and beyond.
