Tejashwi slams BJP MLA over Holi Remark, questions Nitish Kumar’s silence
Patna: Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Monday fiercely criticised BJP MLA Haribhushan Thakur Bachaul over his controversial remark asking Muslims to “stay indoors” during Holi.
Attacking the BJP leader, Tejashwi Yadav said: “Is this Bachaul’s state? Who is he to dictate terms to Muslims? How can he give such statements?”
He slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for remaining silent, saying: “The CM is unconscious when such statements are made. Does he have the courage to call and scold Bachaul?”
Taking a dig at JDU’s alliance with BJP, Yadav said: “JDU is now under the influence of BJP and RSS. The Chief Minister is only concerned about his chair, not the people of Bihar.”
Yadav emphasised India’s Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb (Hindu-Muslim brotherhood), saying: “This is a country that believes in both Ram and Rahim. Here, five to six Hindus will stand together to protect a Muslim. Many like Bachaul and Togadia (Pravin Togadia) have come and gone, but Bihar has always dealt with them firmly.”
Tejashwi challenged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, urging him to take action against divisive politics: “If you have courage, call Bachaul and scold him or make him apologise in the Assembly. But we all know you won’t do it because you only care about your chair.”
With the Bihar elections approaching, Tejashwi Yadav is positioning himself as the defender of secularism, directly attacking Nitish Kumar for his silence on communal issues.
Will Nitish Kumar break his silence, or will BJP defend its MLA? The battle for the 2025 Assembly polls in Bihar is intensifying now. With Bihar’s political landscape heating up, the opposition is using Bachaul’s provocative remark to corner the ruling NDA government.
Earlier, Rabri Devi and Abdul Bari Siddiqui also criticised Nitish Kumar and BJP leaders for making such a provocative statement ahead of Holi to disturb peace in Bihar. They asked the BJP MLA to apologise publicly.