Sharad Yadav Holds Rally to Unite Oppn Parties in Show of Strength

Sharad Yadav called for a meeting to mobilise people for safeguarding the “composite culture” of India.

Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi, former PM Manmohan Singh, former JD(U) president Sharad Yadav and CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechuri attend a day-long convention Sajha Virasat Bachao Sammelan in New Delhi on Thursday.

(Photo: PTI)

Comparing the BJP government’s rule with that of Hitler, rebel JD(U) leader Sharad Yadav said the party will have to bow down in front of the people of India.

“Hindustan aur vishwa ki janta jab khaddi hoti hai, toh koi Hitler bhi usse jeet nahi sakta. (When people of India and the world stand together, then even Hitler cannot win),” said Yadav at ‘Sanjhi Virasat Bachao’ in Delhi.

Yadav had called for a meeting to mobilise people for safeguarding the “composite culture” of India on Thursday.

The meeting, ‘Sanjhi Virasat Bachao’ (save the country’s composite culture), was attended by former prime minister Manmohan Singh and other senior Congress members as well as Left party leaders, including CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and CPI national secretary D Raja.

If Oppn Fights Together, BJP Won’t Be Seen Anywhere: Rahul Gandhi

Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, while speaking at the ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao Sammelan’ in New Delhi, lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the PM wants “Swachch Bharat, but we want Sach Bharat” and added “if the Opposition fights unitedly, then the BJP government will not be seen anywhere”.

Wherever he (Modi) goes, he ends up lying about on thing or another... There are farmers from Tamil Nadu protesting at Jantar Mantar... Farmers from different states are crying, but the country does not belong to them... It belongs to those 15-20 industrialists who are supported by the PM.

Rahul Gandhi

Attacking the RSS, he said the outfit is aware that a country cannot function with their ideology and thus it has its people working in different government institutions.

They (RSS) want to alter the provisions of our Constitution. 

Tearing into PM Modi’s ‘Make in India’ policy, the Congress leader said that the initiative has failed as most products available are ‘Made in China’.

(Photo: PTI)

Sharad’s Show of Strength

A few days after Sharad Yadav’s removal as JD(U) parliamentary leader and suspension of 21 party members for backing him, the situation is likely to heat up again.

Asserting that “composite culture” was the soul of the Constitution and that it was being “tinkered with”, Sharad Yadav said similar meetings will be held across the country.

While refusing to answer questions on his disapproval of Bihar Chief Minister Kumar’s alliance with the BJP, the former JD(U) chief said the decision to hold the event was taken weeks ago.

Sharad Yadav’s posters were seen around New Delhi on Thursday.(Photo: ANI Screengrab)

Asked who would attend the meetings, he told reporters: “There would be hardly anybody from the opposition who will not come”.

Sources close to him said invites had been sent to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi, Ahmed Patel and Ghulam Nabi Azad among others in the Congress, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M), Lalu Prasad of the RJD, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, besides others.

“The ‘Sajha Virasat Bachao Sammelan’ (save composite culture programme) is not against anybody, but in the interest of the country. This is in the interest of 125 crore people of the country,” he said.

He cited incidents such as the suicide of Rohith Vemula and the disappearance of JNU student Najeeb Ahmed, besides farmer suicides across the country to suggest that the situation was tough for underprivileged people.

While supporting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's comments against violence in the name of faith, Yadav said it was not reflected on the ground and Modi needed to tell his party’s governments to follow his dictum.

Sarkari JD(U) Vs Janata JD(U)

During his recent tour of Bihar, Yadav had said that there are two JD(U)s in Bihar, one is sarkari (official) and another is janata (of the people).

All the party legislators, leaders, who are close to the government for personal benefit are with Nitish Kumar, but leaders and workers close to the people are with me.

Sharad Yadav

The official party faction under Nitish Kumar will hold a national convention in Patna on 19 August.

(With inputs from PTI)