The JD(U) president also waded into the controversy raised by PM Narendra Modi's speech in the Parliament that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for Partition, saying the contribution of the great leaders in India's Independence cannot be forgotten.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday pitched for solving the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute outside the court, even as the hearing over the matter is underway at the Supreme Court.
Addressing mediapersons following his weekly Lok Samvad (public interaction) programme in Patna, Nitish said, "We have been saying it since the beginning that a solution to the dispute should be reached through bilateral dialogue and compromise. But if that fails to happen, then the only option will be the court verdict."
The JD(U) president also waded into the controversy raised by PM Narendra Modi's speech in the Parliament that Jawaharlal Nehru was responsible for Partition, saying the contribution of the great leaders in India's Independence cannot be forgotten. "Everyone has a right to express their views in a democracy. The contribution of Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad and Subhash Chandra Bose cannot be forgotten. Sardar Patel and Nehru also made significant contribution under Nehru," he said.
He, however, dismissed the controversy over Modi's remark that a person earning Rs 200 a day selling "pakodas" should be considered employed stating, "These are trivial things that gain importance when polls are at hand."
On the JD(U)'s decision to not contest any of the three seats in Bihar going for bypoll next month, saying it was a "policy decision" made by the party's state unit not to field candidates for seats vacated due to the deaths of sitting legislators. "None of the three — one Lok Sabha and two Vidhan Sabha — seats were held by our party," he added. He said he was undecided on whether or not he will stump for alliance partners fielding their contestants from these seats.
Coming down heavily on former friend and RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav, Nitish denied allegations that PM Modi or he himself, had anything to do with Yadav's incarceration. "It is a 20-year-old case and I'm not even among its petitioner. The probe was being done by the CBI at the behest of Patna High Court," he said, rubbishing RJD's "conspiracy theories" behind Lalu's convictions.
BACKS BHAGWAT
- Nitish Kumar, who once talked of 'Sangh-mukt Bharat', came out in support of RSS chief Mohan Bhawat for “battle ready” claims, saying there was nothing wrong with it.
- “If any citizen or organisation shows eagerness to defend the borders of the country, what is wrong with it,” the JD(U) chief asked.
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