RJD's Abdul Bari Siddiqui continues to make veiled attacks on BJP

Patna: RJD leader Abdul Bari Siddiqui, who is in the BJP's crosshairs for raising alarm over “desh ka mahaul”, on Friday rued “well-planned and organised” attempts to tear asunder the social fabric in the pursuit of power.

The RJD principal national general secretary also expressed dismay that his statement, “10 days old and at a forum for intellectual discussion” had triggered outrage but “open threats” to Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan had not.

“I am peeved at their (BJP's) go to Pakistan catcall. I wonder why they are so much in love with Pakistan. For me, it is the worst country. I was born here and wish to be buried in this land upon death”, Siddiqui told a news channel here.

The former Bihar minister has hit the headlines over video footage of a speech he gave at a function last week wherein he had said that he had advised his children to settle abroad in view of the “desh ka mahaul” (the atmosphere in the country).

Although the RJD leader had made no explicit reference to any political party or the Muslim community, a stung the BJP has chosen to take the bait.

Siddiqui expressed anguish that the event where he had spoken “was attended by retired High Court judges and IAS and IPS officers, many of whom had said more strongly-worded things, but it is only I who is being targeted”.

“I am being dubbed a 'deshdrohi' (anti-national) while many wrongdoers get labelled as 'deshbhakt' (patriots) just because of their obsequiousness towards the ruling dispensation," the RJD leader alleged.

“If my words had hurt any sentiment, I express regret for that. But, for a change, it is also good to express some regret for those who are living in fear and pain”, Siddiqui remarked sarcastically.

The RJD leader deftly avoided limiting his concerns to Muslims, stating “in different times and at different places, this country has seen Sikhs and Christians living in fear. Same stands for those in the majority community who choose to raise their voice for justice”.

“I do not speak for my own ilk, who happens to be relatively well-to-do. But for the vast multitudes, the well-planned and organised (suniyojit and sangathit) attempts to tear the social fabric to shreds (taar-taar kar dena) in the pursuit of power (satta ke liye) are something I really fear," Siddiqui added.

“The ideals of socialist, secular and democratic republic, as envisaged in the Constitution, are under attack," he maintained while taking care not to mention any political party.

In an apparent reference to Ayodhya-based seer Paramhansa Acharya and the controversy around the movie “Pathan”, Siddiqui asked that “why is it that there is so much of hullabaloo about what I had said but not over the threat to eliminate Shahrukh Khan”.

“As far as my advice to my children is concerned, it is painful for any parent to say so. But they have nothing to do with my politics. Like any parent, I want them to avail themselves of the best of the available opportunities. In any case, even if one wants one's children to stay with oneself, it may not actually happen”, said the RJD leader.

Meanwhile, the BJP was left predictably dissatisfied. The party's state unit spokesman Nikhil Anand said “it is shameful that Siddiqui has not apologised for his statement and even more shameful that those in the ruling Grand Alliance in the state have come out in his support”.