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RLD flays Raj Thackeray’s remarks over Chhat Puja

Ranchi: The Rastriya Lok Dal (RLD) on Monday flayed breakaway Shiv Sena leader Raj Thackeray’s remarks on ‘Chhat Puja’ saying there was no place for such statements in a country where there was religious diversity.

“Raj Thackeray wanted to show that he is more extremist than the Shiv Sena after he broke off ties with it,” RLD chief Ajit Singh told reporters here.

He accused Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati of adopting a “dictatorial attitude” and charged she “is using the police on innocent people without proper investigations”. Mr. Singh said her social engineering in Assembly elections last year was not something new as such a phenomenon existed all over the globe. “Even in the American elections, the candidates woo every section of the society in that country,” he said.

The RLD leader said Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 17 crore, should be carved into smaller States to help good governance.

Upset over delay in the creation of Harit Pradesh from Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Singh said creation of smaller States would help in good governance, focussed development and reduce travel time for the people.

“It is not just for a person to travel 700 km to reach Lucknow from Meerut or Ballia for approaching the high court situated in the State Capital to settle legal matters,” he said.

While eastern Uttar Pradesh is yet to witness green revolution, mineral-rich Bundelkhand is crying for development,” Mr. Singh said while supporting the cause for Vidarbha as well.

Mr. Singh, who was here in connection with a party meeting, said he was keen to revive the RLD in Jharkhand.

Mr. Singh, who called on chief minister Madhu Koda last night, however, denied having discussed political issues with Koda, who is an independent MLA.

He said there was no danger to Koda Government as no ally of UPA in Jharkhand wanted mid-term elections. “They (the allies) know that mid-term elections are not advisable for them.”

“Besides, Mr. Koda has excelled in tight-rope walking,” remarked Mr. Singh when asked how Mr. Koda ran the coalition for eighteen months with a wafer-thin majority.

-- PTI

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