Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who until a few months ago was advocating a "Sangh-mukta Bharat" may share stage with Rashtriya Swayamsewak Singh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat at an event in Bhojpur on Wednesday. Nitish will attend the celebrations to commemorate the 1,000th birth anniversary of Hindu theologian Ramanuja Acharya, an event being presided over by Bhagwat.
Both the leaders are expected to attend the function at the Chandwa village in Ara today. There are, however, reports that the Chief Minister could avoid an encounter with the RSS chief by scheduling his appearance at the event before Bhagwat arrives to participate in the celebrations.
Ramanuja Acharya was born in AD 1017 and spent a part of his life in Bhojpur, preaching and spreading the Bhakti movement.
Nitish, before joining hands with the BJP in July to form a coalition government, was a vocal critic of the RSS ideology. Last year, the JD(U) chief, then the leader of the Mahagathbandhan or the grand alliance which included the RJD and the Congress, had urged all parties to unite to make a ‘Sangh-mukt’ (Sangh-free) country “to save democracy”.
“Sangh-mukt Bharat banane ke liye sabhi gair BJP parties ko ek hona hoga (to usher in a Sangh-free India all non-BJP parties have to come together),” Kumar had said.
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav hit out at the Bihar CM after reports that Nitish is likely to share stage with the RSS chief.
"Munh mein Ram, dimag mein Nathuram, tabhi to bana Palturam (Ram on the tongue, Nathuram in the heart, that is how he became Palturam)," Lalu tweeted.
The JD(U) defended Nitish's participation in the event. "It is an important religious and cultural occasion and one should not read it for politics," party spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said.
"Many leaders are invited. why single out just one like the RSS chief?" he asked.
