“Ek desh mein do Vidhan, do Pradhan aur Do Nishan nahi chalenge” (A single country can’t have two constitutions, two prime ministers, and two national emblems). These are the words of visionary leader Syama Prasad Mukherjee on the issue of Kashmir and its administrative structure which had reeled on till the morning of 5th August 2019. With the abrogation of Article 370 and proposal to reorganize the border state, the long standing dream of complete amalgamation of the state with India of the likes of leaders like Atal Vihari Vajypee, Sardar Patel and Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee has now been fulfilled.
With support coming from across party live for this progressive move, while opposition from Congress and Communist parties was expected the most surprising opposition came from Nitish Kumar led JD(U) in the House. The member of the NDA on Monday walked out of Rajya Sabha opposing the Centre’s decision to abolish Article 370 in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our chief Nitish Kumar is carrying forward the tradition of JP Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and George Fernandes. So our party is not supporting the Bill moved in the Rajya Sabha today. We have different thinking. We want that Article 370 should not be revoked,” said JD (U) leader KC Tyagi.
However for Nitish Kumar this move is surely in line with anti-BJP stand which his party has been following the failure to secure more cabinet berths in the second Modi government.
Earlier JD(U) had also opposed the progressive Triple Talaq bill in the Upper house last week . Earlier too Party spokesperson K.C. Tyagi had slammed the Bill and said that it would “definitely create a lack of trust in society”.
He had also said “We believe that ours is a nation based on a delicate balance in respect of laws and governing principles for different religious and ethnic groups. We must not impose any view without obtaining substantive consultations,”
Despite getting political benefits from the alliance, Nitish Kumar has surely been observant and critical of BJP’s rise in the state. However as elections are now over these reservations about the BJP are translating into bizarre moves by the JD(U) be it the controversy arising after JD(U) refused to join the Union Cabinet over demands of multiple places in the Union Council of Ministers ,the hasty Bihar cabinet expansion or the more recent case of JD(U) Vice President Prashant Kishore working with Mamata Banerjee in west Bengal essentially against The BJP and now opposition to important and critical legislations. Many people coming from the state of Bihar also called out Nitish Kumar for his meek political stunt.
https://twitter.com/DrGPradhan/status/1158281507355500544
Nitish Kumar is a national embarrassment.
— Atul Kumar Mishra (@TheAtulMishra) August 5, 2019
Nitish Kumar has also been vary of senior BJP Leader and Union Minister Nityanand Rai, who can emerge as a possible contender for the CM ‘s post. We at Rightlog.in had stated earlier that Rai’s surprise appointment as a Minister of State under Amit Shah was part of a long term strategy to groom him for future roles and effectively replace Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. As such, the insecurity of Nitish about losing his power is clearly evident in this decision to oppose complete amalgamation of Kashmir which even staunch opposes of the BJP like BSP and BJP also have supported. Nonetheless Nitish Kumar has surely let down all his supporters, who have till now kept him aside from other leaders who thrive on vote bank politics.