Bidhuri behaved like street bullies: Tejashwi Yadav

Patna: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday deplored BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri's derogatory remarks against BSP MP Danish Ali in Lok Sabha, comparing the behaviour to that of "street bullies". The RJD leader also said that he had no hopes of action against Bidhuri since it appears that those in the BJP had the right to indulge in all types of delinquent behaviour.

"We saw the plight of award-winning female wrestlers who sat on dharnas for months. But no action was taken against BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh whom they accused of sexual harassment," Yadav pointed out. "What happened inside the Parliament was, indeed, painful and shameful. The use of such language, targeting a fellow MP for his religious affiliation... It came just a few days after the PM had told the House that behaviour of the members would determine who would be in power after the Lok Sabha polls and who would sit in opposition," said the RJD leader.

Bidhuri's remarks targeting the BSP member during a discussion on the success of Chandrayaan-3 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday triggered a furore, with opposition leaders calling for strict action against him. However, Yadav said sarcastically, "What is so surprising? The incident has caused pain to us. But when (the BJP) has not done anything worthwhile during its long stint in power, its leaders would naturally vent their anxieties by indulging in abuse, behaving like street bullies." The young RJD leader was also asked about the meeting, in the presence of his father and party president Lalu Prasad, with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on the previous day.

He replied, "We have an old relationship with Sitaram Yechury. Whenever we visit Delhi we try to call him on. And whenever he is here he tries to look us up. Moreover, we are all together now in the INDIA coalition." Yadav, who is a member of INDIA's coordination committee, dismissed apprehensions of problems arising in seat-sharing. "It will all be sorted out. Especially in a state like Bihar, there is no problem whatsoever. In fact, it is the NDA here which needs to worry," he claimed.

"A fissure was created within a family and now both factions are being made to come together. We would like to see how it works out," said the RJD leader, without mentioning by name late Ram Vilas Paswan's Union minister brother Pashupati Kumar Paras and son Chirag Paswan. Yadav also bristled at the ruling BJP at the Centre often blaming first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for the problems faced by the country, and said "people of his generation made many contributions a reason why we are where we have reached. But the BJP should tell us what it has done. Its second consecutive term in power is coming to an end". He also attacked the BJP for not including provision for OBCs in the Women's Reservation Bill.