 "M Venkaiah Naidu")
Hitting back at Nitish Kumar who described RSS as "the Supreme Court" of BJP, Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Thursday said Modi government is not "guided or dictated" by anyone and claimed that very soon the JD(U) leader will be following Lalu Prasad's directions.
"Very soon you will have Laluji as Supreme Court of him (Kumar). He (Lalu) has already declared that his children are going to be ministers before the government is formed. Cabinet formation is CM's prerogative," he said
"As far as Government of India is concerned, it has been made very clear that the government goes by the agenda of the BJP and the agenda of the NDA. Whatever suggestions come, if they are good, we accept the reasonable ones. We are not guided, governed or dictated by anybody," Naidu said on the sidelines of an event here.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had yesterday said that BJP was "anti-reservation" and cannot but toe the line of RSS which is "like its Supreme Court".
Refuting such allegations, Naidu said, "With regard to certain views expressed (by RSS) you may like it, accept it. If you do not like, do not accept it."
Defending RSS, he said it "does not need certificates from these people. RSS means ready for self-less service. You may agree and disagree with some of its views. But it is a great patriotic organisation creating character, calibre, capacity and conduct among the youth of the country. Nobody should have objection."
On the Congress' allegation that BJP is hijacking their icons by hosting Deen Dayal Upadhaya anniversary celebration at Nehru Museum, he said, "Who is their icons or our icons. Icons are for the country. People who have contributed to the country's progress they should be recognised and respected and they have to be promoted. Promoted in the sense that their name and fame reaches the people and people get inspirations from their thoughts and ideas."
Targeting Congress on icon issue without naming it, Naidu said, "Is it the monopoly of one family ? Is it the monopoly of only one party ? The country has produced thousands of great icons. Every one has contributed in one sector or other. Nobody should have any objected to the idea of highlighting the life and history of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhaya, Sardar Ballabh Bhai Patel or Abdul Kalam."
He said the government is celebrating former President Abdul kalam's birth anniversary on October 15.
"We want to celebrate Abdul Kalam's birthday on October 15. Government is examining. We also want to create a Kalam memorial at his native place Rameswaram. Prime Minister has formed a small committee for this.
