Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today said he gave the call of "RSS-mukt" Bharat as it believes in dividing the country on caste and communal lines and it is "confusing" people through "rumours".
Kumar recently gave a call to all non-BJP political parties to unite and fight the RSS both ideologically and politically.
When told that political analysts are seeing him in the role of late CPI-M leader H K Surjeet who played a pivotal role in the formation of UPA-I, Kumar said, "I do not know. I have floated an idea before parties opposed to RSS and BJP both ideologically and politically to come together."
To a question about leadership of the proposed national grouping against BJP in the 2019 general election, he dismissed himself being in the race for the prime minister post.
"We have a number of able leaders. Leadership is no issue before us at the moment," Kumar said emerging from his weekly "Janata ke Darbhar me Mukhya Mantri" programme.
Kumar alleged that "RSS ideology is to divide society in the name of caste and religion and is confusing people with rumours. This is not good for the country."
The new JD(U) President, who has taken up the responsibility from Sharad Yadav recently, today once again talked about forming "the largest possible unity" taking along Congress, Left and regional parties against the BJP and RSS.
Nitish, however, evaded a direct reply when asked if bringing together warring parties like Congress and AAP, Samajwadi Party and BSP, and AIADMK and DMK on one platform for a "Sangh-mukt" country would be easy.
"An appeal has been made to everybody ideologically and politically opposed to BJP and RSS to unite, even those who did not do it in the past," he said.
"Its possible to achieve maximum possible unity through merger of some parties, alliance among others and morcha of some others", said the JD(U) chief.
Asked about BJP's reaction against him, Kumar said "the sharp reaction of the BJP indicates the impending fear against such a broader national coalition against it."
He, however, defended his partnership with BJP for 17 years before parting ways in June 2013 saying it was a "tactical and strategic alliance on our terms as part of which controversial issues like Ayodhya, Uniform Civil Code and repealing of Art 370 in Jammu and Kashmir were kept off".
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today met various
socialist leaders and representatives of various organisations from across the country at his official residence 7, Circular Road in the state capital.
Representatives of organisations asked Kumar to adopt the drought-affected two districts - Beed and Latur - of Marathwada besides the Bihar government should also provide potable water and fodder for cattle to these districts.
Agreeing to their demands, Kumar said that he had directed his officials to contact railway officials for transporting water to the affected districts but the railway officials did not heed to the proposal.
"I am directing my officials to make fodder available to the two districts of 'Marathwada'. The state government will provide all possible help to the affected Beed and Latur districts of Marathwada," Kumar said.
Asserting that prohibition is a social issue in which he would play an active role, Kumar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in favour of prohibition and hence he should enforce prohibition in all the BJP ruled states.
He further said that Jharkhand government should follow the Gujarat model, if not Bihar model, for enforcement of prohibition as there is prohibition in Gujarat too.
In reply to social activist Medha Patkar's suggestion to organise a meeting of organisations fighting against liquor either at Patna or Delhi, Kumar said "I will certainly participate in such meeting either at Patna or Delhi.
