Tejashwi Yadav kickstarts cycle rally against Nitish Kumar government

GAYA: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today attacked the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar over the Muzaffarpur shelter home scandal and slammed the Chief Minister for maintaining a “criminal silence” over the issue.nnThe leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly, whose over 100-km-long cycle march titled “NDA Bhagao Beti Bachao” began here, alleged that women in Bihar were feeling increasingly unsafe and insecure but the government was busy “protecting” the accused instead of bringing them to justice.nn”The situation in Bihar today is reminiscent of the horrific episodes in Ramayana and Mahabharata wherein Sita was kidnapped by Ravana and Draupadi was disrobed in public at the instance of Duryodhana. The women of the state are never going to forgive this government”, the RJD heir apparent said.nn”We cannot remain a mute spectator to the travails of our women folk and that is why this cycle rally, which will conclude in Patna on Monday, is being taken out. We are thankful to the support that our campaign has received from allies like Congress and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and like-minded parties like Samajwadi Party, BSP and NCP,” Yadav said while cycling through the streets of the town, clad in T-shirt and trousers.nnPointing to former Chief Minister and HAM president Jitan Ram Manjhi, who joined the cycle rally for some distance, Yadav said “I fully agree with his view that the amendments to the prohibition law passed in the Assembly earlier this week were insufficient.”nnHe said that thousands of people, mostly poor Dalits, have been sent to jail in the past couple of years under the draconian prohibition law.nn”Nitish Kumar has come up with the amendments realizing his folly, but it is too late and too little,” the former Deputy Chief Minister said.nnTraining his guns at LJP president Ram Vilas Paswan, Yadav charged the Union minister for having “capitulated before the agenda of the BJP-RSS” and questioned his party’s “belated outbursts on the issue of SC/ST Act”.nn”He looked the other way while Dalits of the country suffered untold miseries under the Narendra Modi regime. The next general elections will make him realize that Dalits of the country do not want leaders who take orders from Nagpur (RSS headquarters),” Yadav said.nnEarlier, the Yadav went to Bodh Gaya and paid obeisance to Lord Buddha at the Maha Bodhi Temple before embarking on his 115-km-long cycle rally.nnHeavy rainfall forced the cancellation of a public meeting which the RJD leader was scheduled to address at the Gandhi Maidan in the town.nnScores of party supporters, on bicycles, accompanied the RJD leader who cycled through the streets of Gaya braving the downpour.nnSource: Press Trust of India