Janata Dal (United) president Sharad Yadav and former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will call on Samajwadi Party (SP) supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav on Thursday to decide for a joint agitation against Ordinances on land, coal and mines by the Centre. The senior most leaders of the two parties will also discuss formation of a united party drawn from members of the erstwhile Janata Parivar.
Sharad on Wednesday said they are also in talks with the Trinamool Congress and the left parties to chalk out the strategy for joint protests. Condemning the BJP Government for bypassing parliamentary route for enacting legislation, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav alleged that the the recent Ordinances promulgated by the Centre are nothing but Modi Government’s “gifts” to its “industrialist backers” in India and abroad.
Addressing a Press conference, he said the new provisions in the land Acquisition Ordinance have “removed legal hurdles” for industries in acquiring lands and mines.
“The Ordinance is “worse” than the acquisition law brought in by the British in 1894. This Government has destroyed the laws which were there to protect national assets and resources. The message to its backers is that please come as we have cleared the field for you,” he alleged.
Supporting the strike by the Coal India Union, Sharad said, they would be talking to farmers and employee bodies to persuade them to join the protest. He said it was bizarre that Government brought in ordinances soon after Parliament session got over.
Asked about the proposed merger of RJD, JD(U), SP, JD(S) and INlD, he said things are “moving in the right direction,” but declined to set a timeframe for completion of the process.
Queried on the recent statements of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj that all Hindu women should produce four children, and MIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi claim that all children are born Muslims, Sharad said extremists on both sides provided “fodder” to each other and should not be given publicity.