Nitish Kumar: An Embodiment of Treachery, Expediency and Opportunism
By Zafar Agha
Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq are not only two of our historic characters but are the names of an uninterrupted and ongoing legacy of selfishness, opportunism and expediency.
Mir Jafar and Mir Saidq are still known for their treacheries. One of them betrayed Nawab Siraj-ud-Daula and helped the British establish their rule in Bengal while Mir Sadiq double-crossed Tippu Sultan and enabled the British in enslaving Deccan.
Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq are the names synonym to selling the interests of one’s country and serving self-interests by hook or by crook. Cheats and crooks like them are found in all ages and times. In this age if there is a real embodiment of Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq then it is Nitish Kumar.
This traitor, cheat and backstabber from Bihar backstabbed Lalu Prasad Yadav last week and did exactly what Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq had done to their masters.
At present in Bihar the flag of secularism is at half-mast while the flag of Hindutva is flying and fluttering to the full. This has not happened due to any victory following poll results but is the achievement of a man known as Nitish Kumar who has brought BJP to power in the second most important state of India.
Let’s have a look at the chicaneries Nitish Kumar has performed.
Hardly two months ago this character [Nitish] came to Delhi where during the book launch ceremony of P Chidambaram he was also invited. In the presence of well-known secular leaders from all over the country he said, “I don’t understand why on earth are they [BJP] being allowed to set the political agenda of this country? Why does Rahul not do it? In my view united opposition is the need of the hour. And if the opposition gets united it will take the wind out of BJP’s sails.”
Hardly two months ago this character [Nitish] came to Delhi where during the book launch ceremony of P Chidambaram he was also invited. In the presence of well-known secular leaders from all over the country he said, “I don’t understand why on earth are they [BJP] being allowed to set the political agenda of this country? Why does Rahul not do it? In my view united opposition is the need of the hour. And if the opposition gets united it will take the wind out of BJP’s sails.”
Yes these are the words of that very Nitish Kumar who is now the BJP supported Chief Minister of Bihar. The fact is that chicanery and deception are in the blood of Nitish Kumar and are part and parcel of his character.
This is that very Nitish Kumar who rose onto the political scene of the country during V.P. Singh’s tenure.
He helped Lalu Parsad in 1990 in becoming the Chief Minister of Bihar because both of them had been friends and comrades since their student days. Lalu had always been ahead of Nitish and that was the reason why Nitish helped him in 1990. But the fraud and jealousy-filled person that was inside Nitish could not bear and tolerate Lalu’s rise for long. And when Lalu’s popularity in Bihar reached its peak, Nitish left Bihar and made Delhi the centre of his political activities. After reaching Delhi this Mir Jafar immediately started conspiring against Lalu.
In Delhi there were already some senior leaders like George Fernandes who were unhappy with Lalu’s style of work, pride and arrogance. Nitish first started misguiding them against Lalu. With the help of politicians like George Fernandes and Sharad Yadav in 1995 he broke Janata Dal and formed a new party Samta Party. This was in 1995 that for the first time he backstabbed Lalu Parsad.
In 1996 the secular Nitish of Janata Dal era shook hands with BJP and contested Bihar assembly elections. This was the time when Nitish was prospering under the flag of Hindutva.
Nitish Kumar’s politics revolves around his personal interests aiming at getting power. This power hungry politician is ever ready to make compromises on any principle and sell his conscience to remain in power whatsoever.
Nitish Kumar’s politics revolves around his personal interests aiming at getting power. This power hungry politician is ever ready to make compromises on any principle and sell his conscience to remain in power whatsoever.
When Babri Mosque was demolished this very Nitish Kumar had shed crocodile tears in the Parliament in support of secularism. However, when Atal Bihari Vajpayee became Prime Minister, Nitish Kumar became his famous Railway Minister.
When in 2002 Muslims were being massacred in the Modi-led Gujarat this very Nitish Kumar remained stuck to his ministry without even the slightest sign of unease. This time he forgot all about secularism.
In 2013, however, when it was decided that in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections Hindutva soldier Narendra Modi would be BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate, Nitish could not contain his anger because he had aspired for the high post himself. Despite being the Chief Minister of Bihar he was eying at Prime Minister’s Office. He felt that if the Chief Minister of a smaller state like Gujarat could dream of becoming India’s Prime Minister then why he, the Chief Minister of an important state like Bihar, could not reach Prime Minister’s office?
Therefore he again changed his sides. Having enjoyed power in Bihar for 7 years since 2013, the fate of secularism in the country aroused him from his slumber once again. This time round Modi became so much repulsive to him that he refused to invite Modi for a lunch at his residence when the latter was in Patna. Now Nitish had started admiring Lalu because without Lalu’s support he could not become Bihar’s Chief Minister again. He contested Bihar Assembly as a coalition partner with Lalu and the Congress and succeeded in occupying Chief Minister’s post.
But all the time his heart was stuck for Delhi. He wanted to become Prime Minister of the country and therefore started visiting Delhi more frequently. He sent messages to secular leaders that he would be happy to lead a united opposition. According to some sources he even expressed his desire to be the leader of a united opposition to Sonia Gandhi who paid no attention to his offer.
In Bihar Lalu Parsad had appointed his son Tejaswi Yadav as the Deputy Chief Minister and had thus put restraints on Nitish. Therefore, this selfish politician once again started seducing Modi by supporting demonetisation here and praising GST there. Now in Modi, he saw all the qualities on earth and at last this devious and Mir Jafar of our time did not only backstab Lalu Parsad but the whole secular camp and succeeded in clinging to his office.
This power-greedy Mir Jafar has, no doubt, succeeded in saving his office but his dream to become Prime Minister has shattered. Now Nitish is under a Modi-spell and Modi will not let him breathe in peace. The present day Mir Jafar and Mir Sadiq has also destroyed the hopes and plans of secular camp for 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Translated by Urdu Media Monitor.Com from daily Jadid Khabar, Delhi, 30 July 2017