New Delhi: Former Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today hit out at the Narendra Modi government over its good governance plank and questioned why a single Muslim was not among its 282 Lok Sabha MPs from BJP.
Emphasising that good governance meant “growth with justice” and inclusiveness, he wondered if the low representation of Muslims in BJP was just a coincidence or it was part of a well thought-out strategy.
Delivering the ‘35th Bhim Sen Sachar Memorial Lecture' here, Kumar questioned the government on its pre-poll assurances on black money and also hit out at it by saying that mythology is being presented as history these days including by those in the highest office.
Talking about the Lok Sabha elections, he said that though BJP got an absolute majority for the first time, a significant aspect was that its vote share was only around 31 per cent.
He said another aspect is that perhaps there is not a single Muslim representative in the 282 BJP elected MPs.
Speaking further he said that he had come across a report in the media according to which even in the nine states, where BJP along with its allies is in power, the party has only 22 Muslims out of the total 1,352 MLAs.
He added that at the ministerial level in states, out of around 151 cabinet and ministers of state, there is only one Muslim.
“It needs to be answered whether this is coincidental or if it is part of a well thought-out strategy,” said Kumar, an erstwhile ally of BJP who had severed ties with the party over the prominence being granted to Modi before the Lok Sabha polls.
He stressed that there is good governance only when all sections feel they have a stake and there is harmony and peace.
“You have got a chance, carry everyone along,” Kumar said in a comment apparently aimed at his erstwhile ally. He said that all sections in the society should be carried along “but what we are seeing is different”.
He said that according to the Constitution, it is enshrined in the fundamental duties to develop scientific temper.
“But what are we hearing these days? Mythology is being presented as history... Constitution tells us to develop scientific temper and there is an attempt in this country to narrate mythology as history.
“And the significant thing is people in the highest office will in their own style define mythology. In childhood it was nice to hear that there in ancient times was ‘udan khataula' like we have planes, but it is a myth,” Kumar said. Taking another dig at the government the former Bihar chief minister said that good governance means “care of everyone not just in slogans but in reality”. He said that the promises made to people should be fulfilled and not just be treated as poll gimmick.
Hitting out at BJP over its promise to bring back black money stashed abroad, Kumar said that people are still asking each other if they had got their share of Rs 15 lakh or Rs 20 lakh, which was supposed to be brought back.
The JD(U) leader further sought to attack the government asking if a situation where key positions are lying vacant can be considered to be good governance.
“Posts such as Lokpal, Chief Information Commissioner and perhaps Chief Vigilance Commissioner are lying vacant for long periods. Can this be described by any stretch of imagination as good governance,” he asked.
Kumar also sought to project a number of measures taken by his then government in Bihar saying that it had promised to the people rule of law, which it had provided them. He said that while several good initiatives were taken by his governments, often they were not highlighted.
“I happened to hear a person's speech on TV, he wanted to provide reservation to women. We have provided reservation to women at Panchayat level in Bihar since 2006,” Kumar, who has often criticised Modi in the past, said.
