BJP has a Taliban-like mindset: Sharad Yadav

Never one to mince words, JD(U) president Sharad Yadav thinks it is not a coincidence that the BJP’s political ascendance bears direct correlation with rising incidents of violence against vulnerable communities. Being anti-Muslim, the RSS/BJP is an inherently Brahamanical political force whose ‘civilisational’ agenda includes revival of the supremacy of the Sawarnas, he told BusinessLine in an interview.

The BJP blames the Left/liberal intelligentsia and media for ‘hyped up’ instances of communal violence…

I am not surprised. They are so used to telling lies that they sometimes start believing in them. They can’t see what is plain enough for the rest of the world — the violence and aggression against the weaker sections. The road taken by the BJP is against the soul of India. These writers protesting on the streets represent the soul of India. In any civilised country, writers occupy a higher pedestal; they are respected. But the Sangh Parivar is inherently anti-intellectual. They would like us to become a nation of zombies where people shut their eyes and follow their perverse agenda.

Since they assumed power, the Sadhvi Prachis of the world have erupted on the national mainstream. The discourse is about Ghar Wapsi, Love Jihad, beef ban, cow protection and, of course, growing violence against marginalised communities.

The lynching, burning of helpless people, children — it is worse than what the Taliban did in Afghanistan. They used bullets and these people lynch their helpless victims. They are the kind of Taliban who are not ready to die for their cause but use state power to terrorise poor people.

But I will tell you why they will not succeed — because a majority of Hindus are the target of their hate.

And they will revolt. Their persecution of the shudras will go against them. Their allies are being forced to condemn them. They will face the heat for their misdeeds in Bihar.

So you think you have been able to present a sober alternative to the BJP, despite having Lalu as your ally…

Why is Lalu such a target of scorn by the upper caste media? I’ll tell you why — because where you are born shapes your thinking. Not even the most enlightened people are able to rise above these inherent prejudices.

Elections in Bihar have become a combination of social justice and good governance. The struggle for empowerment of the weaker sections in the Indian society has always been the bulwark against efforts to divide us on Hindu-Muslim lines.

From the Poona Pact, which rejected the concept of separate electorates and was signed by Dr Ambedkar on one hand and Mahatma Gandhi on the other, the inclusive development of shudras became part of India’s constitutional efforts.

The ‘untouchables’ became the SC/STs under the Government India Act, 1935 and later, constitutional and legislative safeguards were created for their upliftment and social mobility.

The Janata Dal is a party born out of the struggle for social justice and democratic rights for the poorest of the poor who, in India, are mostly from the SC/ST and OBC communities.

It was us who gave the slogan “Sanshopa ne bandhi ganth, pichchde panwe sau me saath (socialists have taken a vow — the backwards should get 60 per cent)”.

We were the biggest party after the Congress but unfortunately, personal ambitions parted us in nine different ways.

Nine different parties have emerged in the last two decades. What is happening in Bihar is significant from this perspective.

After so many years, different constituents have come together again on the platform of social justice articulated by Lalu and Nitish Kumar, who combines the slogans with a record of good governance and inclusive development.

The BJP too is talking of development. How are you different?

The RSS has shown what development means for them. Mohan Bhagwat has clearly said that reservation, as it stands today, needs to be reviewed. This is what they truly believe.

And when that statement backfired on them, they have resorted to blatantly communal tactics. They have tried to divide the Bihar electorate too by organising a large number of incidents that could create a rift.

But we were able to counter it with a sober and mature campaign. The BJP is on the back foot in Bihar. Their slogans are not working. The empty rhetoric of development does not cut any ice with anyone anymore.

You have managed to work on the index of opposition unity in Bihar. Does this have implications for Uttar Pradesh as well?

It is too early to say anything about UP. The Congress is still a big political force on the secular democratic side.

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