Tejashwi Yadav, the national president of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), on Sunday hit out at Union ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi over their public disagreement on reservationsaying the two leaders should not question a system through which they had themselves benefited.
“There is no one born yet who can end reservations,” said Yadav, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly. He said those speaking on the issue were receiving messages from Nagpur on whether they should speak for or against the reservation.
Taking a direct swipe at Paswan and Manjhi, Tejashwi pointed out that both Dalit leaders had contested elections from reserved constituencies before becoming ministers.
“If they have a problem with a reservation, they should resign from their posts and contest for a general seat,” he said.
Tejashwi alleged that the war of words between the two NDA allies was unfolding “under instructions from Nagpur”, a reference to the RSS headquarters. He accused the BJP and RSS of being “anti-reservation” and claimed the controversy was being used to test public sentiment on the issue.
HOW THE ROW BETWEEN CHIRAG PASWAN AND JITAN RAM MANJHI BEGAN
The remarks came as Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Manjhi, founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), traded barbs over the demand for a sub-category within the Scheduled Caste quota for the most deprived Dalit communities.
The confrontation intensified on Saturday after Paswan objected to Manjhi and his son, Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman, backing the idea of a “quota within quota”. Paswan challenged them to resign and contest elections from an unreserved seat, while also questioning their position as members of the “creamy layer”.
Manjhi, the MP from Gaya, responded by saying Paswan should instead resign for failing to understand the need for targeted development of the most marginalised Dalit communities. Suman also joined the attack.
The exchange escalated after Paswan demanded Manjhi’s resignation, turning a disagreement over the scope and distribution of reservation benefits into an open confrontation between the two NDA allies.
Tejashwi also accused the BJP and RSS of having long sought to undermine the reservation, claiming that Chirag, Manjhi, JD(U) and RLM leaders were now standing with those seeking to weaken the quota system.
“They are doing politics not for society, but for the cream and the chair,” Tejashwi said.
He also invoked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s 2015 remarks calling for a review of reservation policy, saying Bihar had given the BJP a strong response in the 2015 Assembly elections.
Describing the current controversy as a “drama”, Tejashwi alleged that the BJP was using the two NDA leaders to “drop a pebble in the water” and gauge the public mood on reservation.
– Ends
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