JD-U targets BJP over communalism; warns of attempts to impose 'Pakistan model' in India

Targeting BJP over the issue of communalism, JD(U) on Wednesday asked minorities, OBCs, SCs and STs to come together even as it warned of attempts for the imposition of a "Pakistan model" in the country.

"Some people say Hinduism is in danger. There is no other country in the world where the majority community says it is in danger.

"They are saying that madrasas do not hoist the national flag. It has been hoisted there at least four times in my presence," JD(U) President Sharad Yadav said today in an apparent reference to BJP. He was addressing a minority conference of the party here.

Yadav's remarks come in the wake of the row triggered by BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj who alleged that madrassas were giving "education of terrorism". The BJP MP had also questioned why madrassas do not hoist the tricolour on national holidays.

Yadav further talked of the need for the "coming together of 80% population" of the country and also told the audience that "changing religion does not change your caste". 

Rajya Sabha MP and JD(U) leader Ali Anwar Ansari cautioned against attempts at turning India into another Pakistan and also took a dig at Muslim leaders making provocative statements.

Without naming Imam Bukhari and AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi, Ansari said that while the former's utterances, which are touted as fatwas, lead to "counter polarisation" more than polarising Muslims, the "other leader in Hyderabad says that one Muslim will be more powerful than 100 Hindus".

He was apparently referring to comments by the AIMIM leader in 2012 that Muslims would need just 15 minutes without the police to show 100 crore Hindus who is more powerful. Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi and his immediate predecessor and party leader Nitish Kumar could not attend the conference, which was attended by party MPs Pawan Verma, Kahkashan Parveen and former MP Ramsundar Das, among others.

The poor showing by BJP in Assembly by-elections in Uttar Pradesh came up repeatedly during the conference with Ansari noting that it had set off the "panic button" for the ruling party at the Centre.

"Communalism advances into fascism. We need to go beyond Mandal politics to counter it," Ansari said.