Go to Pakistan: BJP leader's video message for ex-Bihar minister
What's the story
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui has been facing a lot of backlash from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) due to his recent comments on "advising his children to settle abroad" because of the country's situation (desh ka mahaul). Expressing outrage over Siddiqui's remarks, BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand took to Twitter and called him "anti-India" in a video post.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Siddiqui, also RJD's national general secretary, made the controversial claims last week while referring to what he claimed was discrimination toward Muslims in the country. Although Siddiqui can't be heard making any reference to Muslims or the BJP government directly, the party's Bihar unit has attacked him and suggested that the RJD leader "move to Pakistan."
Statement
It reflects the thought process of the RJD: Anand
Nikhil Anand, in the video, said, "The comment is condemnable, and it reflects the thought process of the RJD. It just shows the kind of politics the party wants to indulge in. This is politics of religion." He also questioned Siddiqui calling himself a "secular leader," and pointed out that his recent remarks are anti-India and against Hindus and should apologize to everyone.
Information
Go to Pakistan with the whole family: Anand to Siddiqui
Furthermore, the BJP leader suggested, if Siddiqui feels suffocated in India, and if he has a problem with all the facilities and comforts that have come his way as a leader, he should go to Pakistan with the whole family."
Quote
'Anti-national and religious agendas'
The BJP spokesperson also claimed that people like Siddiqui still can't overcome the "madrasa culture." "RJD leader Siddiqui's statement is condemnable. These people have still not been able to come out of the madrasa culture. Such people run anti-national and religious agendas under the guise of secularism and liberalism. Siddiqui's statement reflects the ideology of RJD," Nikhil Anand wrote on Twitter in Hindi.
Twitter Post
Nikhil Anand's Twitter post
राजद नेता सिद्दीकी के बयान निंदनीय है। ये लोग मदरसा संस्कृति से अभी भी बाहर नहीं निकल पाए हैं। ऐसे ही लोग सेक्युलरिज्म व लिबरलिज्म के मुखोटे में राष्ट्रविरोधी व धार्मिक एजेंडा चलाते हैं। सिद्दीकी का बयान आरजेडी की विचारधारा को परिलक्षित करता है। @blsanthosh @byadavbjp @BJP4India pic.twitter.com/DR2kFS5mcV
— Nikhil Anand (@NikhilAnandBJP) December 22, 2022
Claims
Siddiqui's comments that triggered row
In a video that many BJP leaders have shared, Siddiqui can be heard saying last week that his son is studying at Harvard and his daughter is London studying as well. "You can understand how painful it is for a person to tell his children to leave their homeland. But such are the times that we are living in," he added.
Information
Told my children to find jobs abroad: RJD leader
"The kind of the situation that has emerged in India, I just told both my son and daughter to find jobs in other countries," he said in the video, which went viral inviting political reactions.