Is it Nitish Raj or Jungle Raj In Bihar?
Law and order situation in Bihar appears to be serious with ten murders committed within last 24 hours. In Purnea, five members of a family were burnt to death, two were shot dead in Nalanda, a government employee was stabbed to death in Muzaffarpur in front of his wife and son, the owner of a private school in Patna was shot, while a Hindu youth was killed with swords during a Moharram procession in Motihari. The state police appears to clueless.
Two days ago, a reputed businessman Gopal Khemka was murdered in Patna. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is silent over this spate of murders. Even NDA ally Chirag Paswan has raised questions on law and order. RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav has alleged that the Chief Minister “has joined hands with criminals in order to retain power.”
In Motihari, groups from two communities clashed during a Moharram procession. A 22-year-old youth Ajay Yadav was attacked with lathis and swords and he died on the spot. Two persons have been arrested. There were reports of clashes in Katihar, Bhagalpur, Araria, Darbhanga and Samastipur also during Moharram processions.
The spike in the number of crimes in Bihar clearly points to the fact that the mafia has stopped fearing the police. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is yet to comment on this situation. He does not appear to be pro-active. How can people expect police to take action? For every crime, the police has a standard reply, “investigation is continuing”.
People in Bihar have started saying that had Yogi Adityanath been the CM of Bihar, murderers would have been either killed or critically injured by now. The people of Bihar want fast and strong action from the government.
If Nitish Kumar is unable to take action, he can hand over the Home portfolio to an active minister. For JD(U) leaders to say, “those who were responsible for Jungle Raaj during the Nineties have no right to raise questions about law and order now” does not hold water. People of Bihar have the right to live fearlessly. They must be allowed to live.
Are Uddhav & Raj stoking Marathi issue for BMC elections?
More than 100 supporters of Raj Thackeray’s Maharashtra Navnirman Sena under the banner of Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti, were detained by police in Mira-Bhayandar of Thane district on Tuesday, when they took out a procession without prior permission. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said, permission was given for a rally, but MNS workers insisted on going in a procession on a particular route, which could have caused tension.
Fadnavis said, “Marathis have a large heart. The Marathi people always cared for the nation and are never selfish…But when it came to the rally, they were pushing for a particular route. If permission had been given, there could have been a law and order situation.”
The MNS was trying to stage a counter-protest after traders protested over MNS workers assaulting a food stall owner for not speaking Marathi.
On Monday, BJP MP from Jharkhand Nishikant Dubey alleged that both MNS and Uddhav Shiv Sena members were beating up Hindi-speaking people in Mumbai and are forcing them to speak in Marathi. He challenged them to try beating people who speak Hindu and Urdu outside Mahim Dargah. Dubey went to the extent of saying that “Ghar Mein Toh Kutta Bhi Sher Hota Hai”.
Countering this, NCP(Sharad Pawar) MLA Jitendra Ahwad said, BJP is trying to polarize voters ahead of BMC municipal elections and this conspiracy would not be allowed to succeed.
Mumbai BJP chief Ashish Shelar compared those beating up non-Marathi speaking people with the terrorists of Pahalgam.
Uddhav Thackeray described Nishikant Dubey as a hyena who is forcibly trying to create controversy. He said, comparing Marathis with Pahalgam terrorists amounts to insulting “Marathi Manoos”. The Shiv Sena (UBT) chief said, he himself speaks Hindi and has no problem with the language, but his party is opposing imposition of Hindi on primary school children in Maharashtra.
This is not the first time non-Marathi speaking people have been targeted in Mumbai and suburbs. It is also not a secret that both the Thackeray cousins, Uddhav and Raj, are trying to stoke Hindi-Marathi controversy for cornering votes.
For the first time, after several decades, the two estranged cousins came together on a single platform on Sunday in Mumbai to save the Maratha base of their parties. Those beating and abusing people for votes in Maharashtra have no right to say that Nishikant Dubey is making such remarks to garner votes for his party in Bihar elections.
Why law and order in Bihar has deteriorated ?
The nephew of Union minister of state for Home Nityanand Rai was killed in a firing and two others were seriously injured on Thursday in Naugachia near Bhagalpur. An intra-family dispute over drawing tap water resulted in firing from both sides. The minister’s nephew Vishwajit Anand died on spot, while his brother Jaijeet and mother were critically injured. Both nephews fired from their pistols at each other and the mother, who was trying to pacify them, was caught in the crossfire. Police said, the weapons used in firing were unlicensed. Since it was a high-profile case, RJD, Congress and other opposition parties blamed Nitish Kumar government for deterioration in law and order. In the Vidhan Parishad, when RJD leader Rabri Devi raised the issue, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar made personal attacks on her. Nitish reminded Rabri Devi of the ‘jungle raj’ during her husband Lalu Prasad’s rule in Bihar. Political wranglings aside, the fact is: the state government is trying to downplay this firing incident as intra-family rivalry. The question is: From where did the two brothers get illegal weapons? One of them is dead, and the other is fighting for his life in hospital. How did those pistols vanish? Police has been unable to seize the weapons. Are pistols easily available in Bihar? Is it not failure on part of police that weapons used in murder vanished soon after the incident? The harsh reality must be faced. There has been deterioration in law and order, and criminals are openly flouting the law. As a result, opposition parties get the chance to target the state government. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar cannot absolve himself of the blame that he has been making personal attacks on Rabri Devi. The manner in which he suddenly gets irritated inside the House and makes disparaging remarks, is not a good sign.
Why did Punjab government evict farmers ?
Highway traffic resumed after a gap of 13 months on Punjab-Haryana border at Shambhu, after famers were forcibly evicted by Punjab Police. This action should have been taken long back. The blockade at Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana had seriously affected inter-state goods movement. The only question that arises in the minds of all is why Aam Aadmi Party government took so much time in taking action? The reason is: Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was under tremendous pressure from traders and industrialists in Punjab to reopen the border because industries in Punjab were facing losses to the tune of Rs 1,500 crore every month. When Bhagwant Mann tried to persuade farmers, their leaders refused to bend. They said, the sit-in would continue and they would not leave the border. Mann has been angry since then. Later, Punjab industrialists also complained to AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal. It was only after this that both Kejriwal and Mann decided that since the main dispute was between the Centre and farmers, it has caused unwanted problems for Punjab government. Now that the border points have reopened, traders and industrialists in Punjab are happy, but Aam Aadmi Party’s double standards have been exposed. There was a time when AAP leaders used to provide food, water and electricity to farmers squatting at Shambhu border, but to evict them, bulldozers were used to raze tents and other structures. This decision can prove costly for AAP in Punjab.
No one should glorify invaders
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has clearly said that the New India will no more tolerate glorification of bigoted rulers like Aurangzeb and murderous invaders like Salar Masood Ghazi. Already UP administration has refused to allow the annual Neja Mela in Sambhal and Bahraich held in memory of Salar Masood Ghazi. Yogi said, it would be considered sedition, if anybody tries to glorify invaders who sought to crush Sanatan faith several centuries ago. On the contrary, Yogi said, “Maharaja Suheldev, who led the army that killed Salar Masood Ghazi in Bahraich, is our hero…Suheldev defeated the foreign invader in a manner that no other invader dared to attack for the next 150 years.” Vishwa Hindu Parishad has already given a memorandum to the administration demanding that the annual Mela at Salar Masood Ghazi’s grave in Bahraich must not be allowed this time. VHP leaders allege that the dargah of Ghazi in Bahraich was built on a site where a Sun temple existed. Yogi Adityanath is right. Foreign invaders who carried out massacres, sacked towns and cities and destroyed thousands of temples, must not be glorified. India’s legacy belongs to all. How can anybody glorify those who tried to erase our legacy and culture?
Why is Lalu eager to open doors for Nitish again?
Rashtriya Janata Dal patriarch Lalu Prasad Yadav spoke in public on Thursday after a long time, but his comments were loaded with political meanings, confusing all in Bihar.
Lalu Yadav said, “our doors are open for Nitish Kumar…I have forgiven all his past sins and have left old issues behind. If Nitish comes forward, we have no problem in working with him”.
Lalu’s offer was carefully planned. He said this in an interview and spoke inside a car with ease. His words were clear. The confusion was created because his son Tejashwi Yadav had been consistently saying there was no chance of any alliance with Nitish anymore.
Three days ago, Tejashwi Yadav had said in Sitamarhi that running a government with Nitish Kumar would be like striking one’s own foot with an axe. Tejashwi said, “the doors of RJD are closed for Nitish, and there is no question of his party’s entry” into RJD-led Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. On Wednesday, Tejashwi said, “Nitish’s exit from power is final…He has ruled Bihar for 20 years and Bihar requires new seeds..If you sow the same old seeds continuously, the soil will get ruined.”
But Lalu Yadav spoke differently and his remarks created ripples in Bihar politics. Nitish’s Janata Dal(U) leaders described Lalu’s remarks as useless and speculative, while Nitish Kumar laughed off Lalu’s suggestions.
At Patna Raj Bhavan, after the new Governor Arif Mohammed Khan’s swearing-in ceremony, Nitish put his hand on Tejashwi’s shoulder, patted his back and spoke to him for a minute. When reporters asked Nitish about Lalu’s remarks, the Chief Minister laughed and walked away with a quip, “What are you saying?”.
Bihar JD(U) minister Vijay Chaudhary said, “there is no confusion in our party over this, and the confusion is in RJD. This is why Lalu and his son are speaking in two different tones. It is clear Lalu Yadav is going to lose again in Bihar and he is worried. That’s why he is inviting Nitish Kumar, but his remark means nothing.” BJP leader and Deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary said, “Lalu Yadav seems to be worried because his Mahagathbandhan got a severe beating in Lok Sabha polls…Nitish Kumar knows Lalu well and he is not going to react to his offer.”
Congress leaders appeared to be enthusiastic. Congress legislative party leader Shakeel Ahmed Khan praised Nitish Kumar as a “Gandhian who is working with Godse supporters… If Lalu has offered something to Nitish Kumar then there must be some meaning behind it.” In the evening, Tejashwi Yadav again appeared before reporters to say that “no inference should be drawn from Lalu Ji’s remarks.”
The fact is, whatever Lalu Yadav said was perfectly planned. It was a trial balloon sent to test the direction of the wind. Lalu’s dream is to see his son Tejashwi as CM during his lifetime. But a master strategist like Lalu knows, caste votes are now fully divided in Bihar. Lalu knows Tejashwi cannot get a majority in this year’s assembly elections by relying on Congress and other smaller parties.
On the other hand, Nitish Kumar is leading a big alliance with BJP and he can win the assembly elections hands down to become the CM again. But Tejashwi feels, Nitish Kumar, because of old age, is now tired and this is a golden opportunity for him to come to power. Tejashwi is quite clear in his mind that he would not be joining hands with “Nitish Chacha”.
On his part, Nitish Kumar has also said that he had committed mistakes twice in the past (in joining hands with RJD), and he would not do so for the third time. BJP has already announced that it has no problem with accepting Nitish as chief minister again.
Then why this politically mischievous statement from Lalu? The old warhorse is a clever player in politics. He is a master in creating confusions. Nitish’s record of crossing over to the other camp is already bad. That’s why Lalu made this remark with a view to get some political gain. But the fallout took place in his own party, RJD, this time. For the first time, both father and son appeared to be towing two different lines. Both appear to disagree on the issue of joining hands with Nitish. The confusion is clearly in the RJD.