RJD decries CAB, accuses Nitish of driving a nail in the

Lalu Prasads RJD on Tuesday denounced the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, brought in Parliament by the Narendra Modi government, and charged Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with "driving a nail in the coffin of the Constitution" by getting his JD(U) to support the legislation.

At the partys national council meeting cum open session here, its leaders alleged that the Bill sought to interpret "we the people" as enshrined in the preamble to the Constitution as "we the Hindus", its tabling in the Parliament marked a "black day" in the history of Indian democracy.

Prasads heir apparent and younger son Tejashwi Yadav said "like all other veteran leaders present here, Kumar was once my fathers associate. A reason why, despite our differences, I called him chacha (uncle). I would not use the deferential term henceforth".

 

Yadav, who had served as the deputy to Kumar for close to two years, asserted "the BJP is known for its fascist and communal policies that seek to murder democracy. But Kumar deserves greater abomination. He should think of his past to which school of thought he belonged and what depths he has stooped to just for preserving power".

He said the party, which has the largest number of MLAs in Bihar, but not a single member in the Lok Sabha, "will oppose the Bill tooth and nail" and that a movement will be launched next month on Makar Sankranti against the current dispensation in the state "and our success will inspire a countrywide churning leading to the overthrow of the regime at the Centre".

RJD has four members in the Rajya Sabha, including Lalu Prasad's eldest daughter Misa Bharti. After Lok Sabha nod, CAB will be introduced in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

In an oblique reference to speculations that a section of RJD MLAs were in touch with Kumar and were looking for an opportunity to cross over, Yadav said "I wish to warn uncle, we have information about your hobnobbing. Do not try to break other peoples homes. Else, your own house will be set on fire".

Another prominent speaker was veteran socialist leader Sharad Yadav, who had headed the JD(U) for close to a decade until parting ways a couple of years ago following differences with Kumar over the sudden decision to rejoin the NDA.

Yadav thereafter floated an outfit Loktantrik Janata Dal, but fought the Lok Sabha polls unsuccessfully as the RJD candidate from his pocket borough Madhepura, and ended up merging his party into the same thereafter.

"Monday was a black day in the history of Indian democracy when the Bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha and passed by an overwhelming majority. The legislation seeks to smother the spirit behind the Constitution. It is an attempt to replace We the people in the Preamble with we the Hindus", Yadav alleged.

Training his guns at Nitish Kumars party, he said "the BJP has always been known for its assaults on the Constitution. But what the JD(U) has done is tantamount to driving a nail in its coffin. I am aghast that the party, which till recently used to speak against issues like NRC, has voted in favour of CAB".

The JD(U)s latest move has bewildered its top leaders like Prashant Kishor and Pavan Varma, who have expressed disappointment and urged Nitish Kumar to do a rethink.

The party, which has maintained an ideologically distinct position on issues like Article 370, Ayodhya and Uniform Civil Code despite its long ties with the BJP, has come under opposition fire for voting in favor of the Citizens Amendment Bill.

It has defended the move insisting that the legislation only offered a helping hand to non-Muslims in adjoining Islamic countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh but in no way harmed the interests of Indian Muslims.