The top leaders of Mahagathbandhan in Bihar are not on the same page as far as Pathankot attack and India’s Pakistan policy is concerned. While RJD supremo lalu Prasad went hammer and tongs against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA Government at the Centre, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar supported Modi’s gesture to visit Pakistan.
The contrary statements of the two leaders came on Friday. lalu after filing nomination papers for his ninth term as national president of RJD asked PM how come the terrorists from Pakistan entered Indian the territory despite “your 56 inch chest.”
“India is not safe in the hands of Modi. He and BJP used to say that Pakistan would be crushed and would debate, while flexing muscles. Aaj unki bolti band ho gayi hai (Today he fell silent),” said lalu, who is all set to be elected the party president uncontested.
lalu also said that when two engineers of a private company were murdered last fortnight in Darbhanga, the BJP leaders were all critical of law and order in Bihar and had raked up the chorus of the return of ‘Jungle Raj’. But now, he added, they have no courage to defend their Government.
Nitish, on the other hand said he personally was in favour of Modi’s visit to Pakistan and meeting Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He also advocated that talks should continue between the two nations. “This is my personal opinion that it was Modi’s right gesture. For the betterment of the relations the controversial issues must be discussed and solved amicably. One should also understand the internal situation in the neighbouring country where democracy is not as strong as in India. But it is good that a popular elected Government is in saddle there. It is also important to understand that whenever efforts are made to minimise the tension, some forces try to sour the relations. Kargil had happened after then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited lahore,” the CM said while talking to the media after inaugurating a workshop on disaster management.
However, the CM did not speak directly on Pathankot episode, which claimed lives of some soldiers. Whenever some goodwill gestures are made by India, he said, there have been attempts to disrupt the peace process. “There are many forces which do not want to see good relations between the two and reach a solution to the disputes. When an elected Government in Pakistan initiates peace process through dialogues, obstacles are created. We should also think over it, if this continues the two neighbouring countries could never become friends. It is in the interest of India that if an elected Government in Pakistan gets stronger, other forces and institutions would be weakened and our relations would get better,” Nitish said and added that this was his personal feeling and it has nothing to do with politics.
Bihar BJP president Mangal Pandey welcomed Nitish’s statement and said the CM spoke while taking into consideration the overall national situation. “There is a need that everybody should have similar opinion on terrorism and this problem should not be compared with law and order problem in Bihar,” he said and added that lalu was also responsible for the law and order situation in Bihar and in bid to escape his responsibility was comparing Pathankot with Bihar situation.