In another show of Opposition unity, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and leaders of the TMC and other parties will join the protest called by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav to demand resignation of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the harrowing case of shelter home rapes in Muzaffarpur.
This will be the first time that Rahul Gandhi and Kejriwal will take part in political protest together.
Tejashwi, who is the leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, urged “all to attend” the dharna at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on August 4.
“Against heinous institutional mass rape in Muzaffarpur, sponsored and protected by the Nitish Government, we will stage a dharna on Saturday, August 4 at Jantar Mantar. Request all to attend,” the RJD leader said.
“leaders from many parties will be a part of our protest on Saturday at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Rahul Gandhi has confirmed his presence,” he said.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal re-tweeted a tweet by a journalist which read “so @ArvindKejriwal will also join the Muzaffarpur rape protest organised by @yadavtejashwi at Jantar Mantar”.
JD(U) general secretary KC Tyagi said he did not expect a leader like Rahul Gandhi to join hands with “lumpen” elements of the RJD.
“I had no issue with protest by the RJD, but how can Rahul join them. They are the same people who had unleashed such horror in Bihar during the 15 years rule of lalu Prasad,” Tyagi said.
While Rahul and Kejriwal will be together, not much should be read in this, said a senior Congress leader. “The Congress is not going to align with Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party ( AAP) in the lok Sabha polls,” he said.
The leader explained that Congress is keen on sending a bigger message that the Opposition parties are united and they can shun personal differences to come together on any issue.
The Bihar Government has ordered CBI probe into the rape case, but the Opposition is not satisfied with it. Clearly, there is an attempt to highlight the episode on national level to dent the image of Nitish Kumar. Rahul’s decision to join the protest shows that he has not forgotten Nitish Kumar for going with the BJP despite his (Congress president’s) personal request not to do so.