PATNA: LJP chief and union minister Ram Vilas
Paswan on Sunday cautioned few ‘hardliner’ leaders in the BJP to refrain from making ‘off- the- cuff’ statements in order to prevent distancing of voters of certain sections of the society including Muslims.
Though he called most NDA leaders secular and also enumerated a number of schemes of central and Bihar governments related to minorities but expressed concerns over a ‘few’ leader occasionally making remarks that created an impression of NDA being against certain section of the society.
“PM
Narendra Modi, Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi and Bihar BJP chief
Nityanand Rai and most other NDA leaders are secular. But only one or two leaders make off- the- cuff statements, from which they should refrain. Such leaders ought to be more tactful and avoid blunders like speaking against reservations during assembly elections,” Paswan said at a presser at LJP state headquarters at Patna on Sunday.
Paswan’s statement comes in the backdrop of defeat of BJP in bypolls to two high- profile parliamentary constituencies- Gorakhpur and Phulpur in Uttar Pradesh and Araria constituency n Bihar. The bypolls were held on March 11 and counting and results were declared on March 14.
Incidentally, BJP Bihar chief Nityanand had stirred a controversy by saying in an election meet on March 9 that ‘Araria will become den of ISI if RJD candidate won’. An FIR was also lodged against him over his ‘provocative” statement on March 10 on charges of violation of model code of conduct.
In a similar instance, firebrand BJP leader and union minister
Giriraj Singh also said in New Delhi on March 15 that Araria will become ‘terror hub’ with the victory of RJD’s candidate in the bypolls to the Muslim- dominated constituency.
Meanwhile, Paswan iterated that NDA needs to re- look at its social arithmetic. “Social arithmetic is known to be a solid poll plank in states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar than talking about development. This was perhaps the reason behind BJP's defeat in the bypoll to Gorakhpur, which was otherwise considered to be its stronghold constituency,” Paswan said.
The consumer affairs minister also iterated that there is a need to develop an inclusive perception of the BJP by taking the example of Congress. “We need to look carefully at how
Congress ruled the country for so long, enjoying the support of Dalits, Brahmins and Muslims without actually doing anything for them,” Paswan said, adding that he BJP-led NDA governments, headed by
Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Narendra Modi, have also made tireless efforts to improve the condition of these communities.
Having said all that, Paswan, however, ruled out the rumors of his party quitting the NDA. “There is no question of LJP leaving the NDA. We are with the NDA and would continue to remain with it,” Paswan said.
