New Delhi: A day after Giriraj Singh’s swipe at BJP allies Janata Dal (United) and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) for hosting an iftaar party, sources said Home Minister Amit Shah called and asked the union minister to avoid making such statements.
Meanwhile, JD(U) spokesperson Sanjay Singh Tuesday said the party has never taken the “utterances of Giriraj seriously”.
“We have always believed in giving respect to all religions and hence we sport a ‘tilak‘ and also wear skullcaps,” Sanjay said.
An iftaar party was organised by the JD(U) on 3 June at Haj Bhavan in Bihar. A day later, Giriraj posted four photos of the event featuring Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan, his son Chirag Paswan and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi of the BJP. The photos also show former chief minister Jitan Ram Majhi of the Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) party.
Giriraj’s Hindi tweet roughly translates to: “How beautiful would the picture have emerged, had phalaahaar (a fruit feast) been organised during Navaratra with the same fervour with splendid photographs taken. Why do we lag behind in observance of our own karm-dharm (religious customs) in public, while staying ahead in making a show for those of others?”
कितनी खूबसूरत तस्वीर होती जब इतनी ही चाहत से नवरात्रि पे फलाहार का आयोजन करते और सुंदर सुदंर फ़ोटो आते??…अपने कर्म धर्म मे हम पिछड़ क्यों जाते और दिखावा में आगे रहते है??? pic.twitter.com/dy7s1UgBgy
— Shandilya Giriraj Singh (@girirajsinghbjp) June 4, 2019
Aimed at Nitish?
The photos specifically seemed to be aimed at Nitish and sending a strong signal to the JD(U) which remains miffed for being denied more than one cabinet spot in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government. The photos feature Nitish wearing a skullcap and a namaz kerchief covering his shoulders.
Lashing out at Giriraj, JD(U) MLA and state minister Ashok Chowdhury said, “Had anybody stopped Giriraj from arranging phalahaar during Navaratra? I wish to warn him, not the entire BJP, but him alone that he must refrain from making such statements.”
He went on to add: “Giriraj must remember that his party is part of a coalition government in Bihar and he owes his victory in the Lok Sabha elections to the support of Kumar.”
Also read: Nitish Kumar inducts 8 new JD(U) ministers, sends message he won’t be cowed down by BJP win
Singh had retained the Begusarai seat for the saffron party by defeating CPI’s Kanhaiya Kumar by a margin of over four lakh votes.
According to sources, Shah, who is also the BJP president, had met Nitish before the announcement of portfolios, telling the Bihar chief minister that he wanted to give adequate representation to all allies in the Modi government. “Kumar was told that a symbolic berth has been offered to the party but the JD(U) seems unhappy with it. The party has, however, maintained that they are part of the NDA,” the source added.
Nitish also expanded his council soon after and included eight leaders of the JD(U) and offered only one seat to the BJP.
(With inputs from PTI)
Also read: How ally JD(U) cut BJP to size in Bihar by blocking its Dalit outreach