PM talks about mandir-masjid, silent on price rise: Tejashwi

Chatra (Jharkhand), May 15 (PTI) RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday criticised the BJP government at the Centre over the issue of price rise, highlighting that inflation, which was once a major concern for the saffron party during the UPA regime, has now become something they seem comfortable with.

Yadav quipped that what was once a 'dayan' (witch) for the BJP, seemingly became their 'mehbooba' (beloved) when the price of LPG cylinders breached the Rs 1,200 mark.

He also accused the saffron party of doing politics of hatred and spreading discrimination in the name of Hindu-Muslim.

"BJP called the inflation ‘dayan’ when the LPG cylinder was Rs 400 during the UPA regime. But, it became their ‘mehbooba’ when the cost of an LPG cylinder breached Rs 1,200," said Yadav, while addressing an election rally in Jharkhand’s Chatra.

The former Bihar deputy chief minister said, "The Prime Minister Narendra Modi only talks about Hindu-Muslim, mandir-masjid, Sanatan-Islam, but he is silent on the biggest issues of the country such as price rise, unemployment and poverty." He said the PM recently visited Jharkhand’s Chatra, but did not utter a single word about the state’s development nor gave any roadmap of its development in the next five years.

Accusing the BJP of misusing central agencies, Yadav said that former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren was sent behind the bars under a conspiracy. "They (BJP) also used ED, CBI against our family, but we are not going to be scared of the agencies," he said.

Seeking vote for INDIA bloc’s Chatra Lok Sabha candidate KN Tripathy, he said if the opposition alliance is voted to power, one crore youths will be given jobs, LPG cylinder price will be reduced to Rs 500 and 200 units of electricity will be given free.

Yadav delivered his speech sitting on a chair as he was suffering from a back injury. "Doctor advised me to go for bed rest for at least three weeks. But, I told the doctor that it is not my time, but it is time to send Modi-ji on bed rest," he said. PTI COR SAN SAN MNB