Sharad Yadav’s comments on Kanwariyas has kicked the hornets nest. BJP asked if Yadav had similar opinions about Hajis.
Rajya Sabha MP and former JDU National President Sharad Yadav’s controversial remarks over Kanwariyas has drawn strong criticism from the BJP which has called his comments an effort to appease a certain community. Sharad on Friday had said that lakhs of Kanwariyas who go to offers prayers in temples was a reflection of growing unemployment in the country.
Sharad had alleged that the magnitude of unemployment has in fact increased during PM Narendra Modi‘s tenure and the incumbent govt has failed to deliver on its promise of providing two crore jobs per year.
“1.3 crore youths are becoming unemployed each annum and the Kanwariyas who go to offer prayers highlight the growing unemployment,” Yadav have said.
ATTACK ON HINDU COMMUNITY
Reacting to Sharad’s comments BJP said that the comments were an attack in the faith of the Hindu community.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh said that the former JDU President was making such comments simply to appease a certain community. Singh questioned whether Sharad could make similar comments for Hajis who are going to Mecca and Madina presently.
” JDU’s politics of appeasement is at an all time high. I dare Sharad to make this kind of comments for Hajis. They are abusing one and all to appease a certain community,” said Giriraj Singh.
Bihar BJP’s leader Vinod Narayan Jha too said that Sharad was sharing the sentiments of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar and RJD President Lalu Prasad who are going all out to woo a particular community.
“Sharad Yadav should be ashamed for making such comments and hurting sentiments of the Hindu community,” said Vinod Narayan Jha.
JDU DEFENSIVE
JDU too found it hard to defend their former National President’s comments.
“I think his comments have been distorted. Whatever Sharad Ji said is his personal views,” said JDU spokesperson, Rajiv Ranjan Prasad in his defence.
Lok Janshakti Party MP Ram Chandra Paswan on the other hand appeared to be toeing Sharad Yadav’s sentiments and said that the number of Kanwariyas from Bihar was higher because of growing unemployment. However, he did not blame his govt at the Centre for failing to generate jobs but Nitish Kumar government.
“Bihar govt has failed to generate jobs and that is why there is unemployment and therefore the number of Bihari Kanwariyas is also high,” said Ram Chandra Paswan, LJP MP.