Commenting on the incident in which a Shiv Sena MP was caught on camera while force-feeding a catering supervisor at a guest house in Delhi, former Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar on Wednesday said that stern action must be taken against such people. Kumar also clarified that he was not going to Delhi for the next two-three days to meet RJD chief lalu Prasad for seat-sharing talks as was reported in media.
“Strong action must be taken against people attacking religious faith of other communities. Everybody has freedom to practise one’s religion and any activity against this is an attack on religious faith of others,” said Kumar while condemning the incident before mediapersons.
He also said that the act was like an attack on the very spirit of the Constitution. He further added “I strongly disapprove of the incident”.
Earlier, a video footage had gone viral in which a Shiv Sena MP Rajan Vichare from Thane in Mumbai was seen force-feeding a Muslim youth identified as Arshad Zubair while he was on Ramzan fast. There has been all round condemnation of the incident.
Meanwhile, the MP had reportedly said that he did not know that the youth was a Muslim and was on Ramzan fast. “I was only protesting against the poor quality of food and unfit water to drink served at the Maharashtra Sadan”, said the MP.
“I'm in Patna today, tomorrow and after that also and I'll be meeting you people here”, Kumar told media persons at Bihar legislature precincts.
He also clarified that State JD(U) president Basistha Narayan Singh had not gone to Delhi for holding any talks with lalu Prasad on this issue.
“Basistha Babu had gone to Delhi to attend session of Rajya Sabha as Parliament session is on. He had not gone to the national capital for holding talks with anyone for tie-up,” declared Kumar.
Significantly, earlier on Tuesday the State chief of the JD(U) Basistha Narayan Singh himself had thrown enough indication for the likely meeting with the RJD chief, saying he was going to Delhi and he might have meeting with someone there for seat-sharing talks.
Meanwhile, sources close to RJD chief lalu Prasad has said that he was not willing to hold talks on seat-sharing issue with JD(U) leader Basistha Narayan Singh “instead he wanted to go for straight talk with Nitish Kumar”.
Though, both the leaders have earlier agreed to have an alliance with each other to counter resurgent BJP in the State. “There should be broader alliance between all those parties opposed to BJP politics”, said Nitish Kumar.
Post lok Sabha poll both the parties JD(U) and RJD, a rival for nearly two decades, have joined hands together for their political survival in the State.
“They are joining hands to practice backward politics of Mandal against upper caste affiliation of BJP in the name of kamandal”, said a political observer of the State.
But, he said further, it would be interesting to see how these two leaders could sail through after so many long years.
“Much water has flown down in river Ganga since then…it would not be an easy task for either Nitish Kumar or lalu Prasad to accept leadership of one another”, said the observer.
Meanwhile, State Congress leader Sadanand Singh too has indicated that his party could be a part of “grand alliance taking place between non-BJP parties in the State”.