Outspoken BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha’s biography Anything but Khamosh has been released at many places including the first one in New Delhi by BJP patriarch lK Advani, but its release in the Patna Sahib MP’s birthplace Patna on Friday was treated as box office hit. Because of the kind of guests which included Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo lalu Prasad who rubbed shoulders with Bihari Babu and heaped praise on him. Not a single prominent leader from his party BJP was visible at the gala function which lasted for about two hours.
The organisers and Shatrughan himself tried their best to keep politics away from the function but it could not have been possible in presence of lalu. The RJD chief prodded rather instigated Shotgun to break his khamoshi (silence) in the party and speak loudly. “This is my amendment that you should not remain khamosh for long. Break your silence and come to you original form. Come forward and speak loudly.
If you will not take risk you will not gain,” said lalu in his well known tone.
He also mentioned about the situation in the country by referring to Rohith Vemula and JNU and asked Sinha, “How can you remain silent in this situationIJ” lalu without naming BJP, said Shatrughan has a big role in making of that party but it only used him and then consigned to dustbin. Calling him a `Shaan’ (pride) for all, lalu recalled watching his movies and said, “I always saw him thrashing others in films but never saw him being hit by any other. I saw him flooring ten men with his one punch. We want to see him play the same role in the politics.”
Nitish who spoke after lalu however tried to balance. He said, “Sshatrughan’s loyalty to his party is intact. But he has freedom to take a decision. lalu ji has instigated him but I am confident Shatrughan will do what he will think right. If at any stage he takes a decision (to quit BJP) we will welcome his move.”
Calling him a `Gaurav’ (pride) of Bihar, the CM said Shatrughan is not the kind of person to remain Khamosh and would continue putting his view point in the party forcefully. “We are sure that he will not compromise with any situation and say what is right. Sometimes I wonder why he speaks so much,” said Nitish.
The CM forcefully asked Shatrughan to take lead in the establish a Film city in Bihar and see how it could be started.”We have expectations from Bihari Babu. Why such things come up only in Mumbai and why not in PatliputraIJ” he asked.
The stage was turned into a Movers & Shakers show by Shekhar Suman. In his inimitable style the actor, who also belongs to Patna and the same locality as Shatrughan’s had many sarcastic remarks on politicians. He said if lalu and Nitish decide a joint biography it should be named as “Fevicol ka mazboot jor”. He also suggested titles of the biographies of PM Narendra Modi, Sonia Gandhi, Arvind Kejriwal, Anna Hazare, Vijay Mallya and others with peculiar names based on promotional ads. The function was also attended by Patna High Court acting Chief Justice Iqbal Ahmad Ansari, Poonam Dhillon, JD(U) MP Pawan Varma and biographer Bharthi S Pradhan. Shatrughan on this occasion revealed that he preferred title of his biography after getting inspiration from his “elder brother” Nitish Kumar who, he said, asked him to never compromise with truth and speak loudly when needed.