The leader of opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly and RJD’s de facto supremo, Tejashwi Yadav today resorted to unparliamentary language to critique Nitish Kumar’s government in Bihar. Tejashwi Yadav said that Nitish Kumar has ‘raped’ the public mandate in Bihar.
Tejashwi Yadav was addressing media on the occasion of RSLP chief Upendra Kushwaha’s joining of the Bihar Mahagathbandhan. Leaders of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar were present, including Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader Jitan Ram Manjhi and Congress leader Shaktisinh Gohil, at AICC office in Delhi.
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Tejashwi Yadav said, “Nitish Kumar has insulted the public mandate, in my opinion, he has raped the mandate.” He also went on to claim that the prevailing atmosphere in the country is that of an undeclared Emergency and that the Modi government’s fascist moves have imperilled the constitutional validity of various democratic institutions.
As the election season is around the corner, Politicians have often been expected to rejig their stance as per their political wisdom to favour their fortunes but one should always be sensitive in using appropriate language to criticise their opponents.
The opposition leaders in Bihar have come together and formed a Mahagathbandhan in Bihar. It will be interesting to see how the coalition pans out and if it dies the same gradual death as the previous Mahagathbandhan formed at the centre.
It is however interesting to note that most women’s rights activists and journalists who are quick to lash out at such statements have not criticised Tejashwi for his unbecoming use of a rape analogy. Such analogies diminish the seriousness of a heinous crime like rape and violence against women. But, perhaps because Tejashwi is now the de-facto supremo of the ‘secular party’ RJD that plays a rather important role in the mahagathbandhan to defeat BJP, the silence is to be expected.