Janata Dal (United) national president Rajiv Ranjan, alias Lalan Singh, hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 8 over his call to voters in Karnataka to chant ‘ Jai Bajrangbali’ while casting their votes in the Assembly election on May 10.
“We have also spent long years in politics, have you ever heard a Prime Minister say ‘chant Jai Bajrangbali and cast vote on kamal chaap’ (lotus symbol of BJP). No, never. How can a Prime Minister make such an appeal during the election campaign? It proves that he wants to spread religious frenzy to hide the corruption of the BJP in Karnataka. Let him do this, he will not get any results,” Mr. Singh said at the party office.
Last week, while addressing a public meeting in Uttara Kannada district, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Congress and its leaders hated and abused him because he had crashed their corrupt system. He asked the people of Karnataka to punish the abuser by saying ‘Jai Bajrangbali’ while pressing the button in the polling booths.
The Congress, in their manifesto for the Karnataka Assembly election, had promised to take decisive action against outfits such as the Bajrang Dal if the party comes to power.
After Mr. Modi’s statement, several Congress leaders had condemned his remark saying that seeking vote in the name of Hanuman is disrespecting Hinduism.
Mr. Singh further said, “Manipur is burning and the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister of the country are roaming in Karnataka in different looks. Both are busy spreading religious frenzy. The BJP has made Karnataka the hub of corruption. Karnataka is the most corrupt State in the country. The BJP promised to fight the corruption but now their corruption has become the talk of the town. Just wait for May 13 [date on which results would be declared], the BJP will fall flat.”
He also alleged that the BJP uses the Central agencies against the Opposition parties.
Stranded students to return today
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said steps had been taken to ensure the safe return of Bihari students studying in Manipur.
Following Mr. Kumar’s directive to the Resident Commissioner, New Delhi, in this regard, the stranded students will be first brought to Imphal airport in buses. From there, they will return to Patna by flight at 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
Many people have been killed in the ethnic clashes in the north-eastern state of Manipur, with mobs attacking homes and torching vehicles and religious places.
