New Delhi: After JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar delivered a body blow to Opposition unity by crossing over to the BJP-led NDA, the remaining Opposition parties came together to project a united front in New Delhi on Thursday.
Launching a fresh attempt to unite and bolster the Opposition against Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi directly attacked the Centre and the big brother of the Sangh Parivar — the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.
“Jab tak inhone (RSS) Hindustan mein raaj nahi kiya, tab tak jhande ko salute nahi mara (Till the time they were not in power, they did not salute the Tricolour),” Mr Gandhi said.
Sixteen Opposition parties attended the Sanjhi Virasat Bachao (Save the Country’s Composite Heritage) meet called by JD(U) rebel leader Sharad Yadav to highlight alleged attacks on Indian ethos.
Mr Gandhi, while underscoring the ideological difference between the RSS and the Congress, said, “There are two ways of viewing the country. One says ‘this country is mine’, the other says ‘I belong to the country’. That’s the difference between RSS and us.”
Hitting out at the Prime Minister, Mr Gandhi said, “Modiji says he wants to create a ‘Swachch Bharat’ but we want a ‘Sach Bharat’.
Addressing the gathering, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that “Indian culture is under attack from forces who want to push through their narrow agenda,” and that the Opposition parties are “determined to save the composite culture of this country”.
Sharad Yadav, the JD(U) MP in Rajya Sabha, evoked Hitler and virtually equated the BJP’s rule with Nazi rule. “When people unite even Hitler fails,” he said.
