Tejashwi seeks forgiveness for mistakes committed during Lalu-Rabri tenure

Security for Aparna stirs rumours of switch to BJP ■ Ahead of polls, RJD leader seeks forgiveness for mistakes committed during his party’s tenure I was young when my party (RJD) was in power in Bihar for fifteen years. But if there were any mistakes I ap

The security cover ordered by the Yogi Adityanath government to Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav’s daughterin-law Aparna Yadav has triggered murmurs over her proximity to the ruling BJP, a suggestion she denies.

Aparna Bisht Yadav, wife of Mulayam Singh Yadav’s younger son Prateek Yadav, was last month provided Y category security by the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh.

It triggered speculation that the she may be preparing to switch sides ahead of the 2022 Assembly polls.

Her brother-in-law and former UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav saw a Bharatiya Janata Party plot in the development.

“Providing her security is 500 per cent BJP’s trick,” he said in a newspaper interview, which he shared over social media.

When asked if she is still with the SP, Aparna Yadav told PTI, “Yes, I joined the party in 2016 on the directions of netaji (Mulayam Singh Yadav) and am very much a primary member of the party”

But she also criticised her own party.

There is lack of discipline in the SP. Party workers should know the party Constitution, SP’s ideology and about socialism. ‘Netaji’ always talked about discipline in the party. What is the place of women in the party now?” she said.

“The old guard has changed in the party and the new one should take care of it. He must be working on it,” she said, referring to the power shift in the family from Mulayam Singh Yadav to son Akhilesh Yadav.

The woman rights activist also defended her praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his handling of the coronavirus crisis.

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Aparna Yadav

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has sought an apology from people for the mistakes committed when his party was in power for fifteen years in Bihar.

“I was young when my party was in power for fifteen years. But if there were any mistakes I apologies for that,” Tejashwi Yadav said during an event in Patna recently.

“But during those fifteen years can anyone deny that Mr Lalu Yadav did not do social justice”, he added.

His statement is likely to cause some heartburn within the RJD especially among those who are considered close to RJD chief Lalu Yadav and former chief minister Rabri Devi.

While raising concern over the statement a section in the RJD called it an “immature comment” and said that “not only in Bihar but people across the country are aware of how our party has worked for the poor and gave voice to the backward class”.

Tejashwi Yadav gave the statement in response to the “15 years versus 15 years” narrative being built by chief minister Nitish Kumar and his party JD(U).

In his speech, Tejashwi Yadav also mounted an attack on Mr Kumar and held him responsible for unemployment in the state.

“Bihar has become a centre for unemployment. During this coronavirus crisis and countrywide lockdown, the large number of workers who were stuck in other states were from Bihar. They left their state due to unemployment. Nitish Kumar is the chief minister of Bihar and he has failed to generate employment in the state”, Tejashwi Yadav said.

RJD was in power for 15 years from 1990-2005. During the first seven years, RJD chief Lalu Yadav was the chief minister of Bihar. However, after his name surfaced in the fodder scam case in 1997, his wife Rabri Devi was made the chief minister.

Mr Yadav is currently serving a jail term after being convicted in the fodder scam case.

BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand rebutted the allegations made by Mr Tejashwi and called it a stunt ahead of Assembly elections. In his statement, Anand said that “People of Bihar will never forgive RJD just like people of our country will never forgive China and Pakistan for their antiIndia acts and Congress for the massacre of Sikhs and messing up with the Kashmir issue.”

He also said that “Lalu Yadav should apologies to the people because Mr Tejashwi’s statement is nothing but a stunt for the elections”.

Mr Tejashwi has been declared as the chief ministerial candidate by the RJD for the Assembly polls which is likely to be held in OctoberNovember this year.

JD(U) spokesman Rajiv Ranjan Prasad rebutted Mr Tejashwi’s allegations against Nitish Kumar government and asserted that the people of Bihar would not be befooled by “attempts at an image makeover in the election season”.

“People still shudder at the memories of the dark age when caste wars and kidnappings for ransom committed by anti-social elements patronised by those in power were the norm.

Not just ordinary labourers but even doctors, engineers and professionals of all hues had to flee for their safety” Prasad alleged.