Patna, June 29 (IANS) Amid RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s criticism of the BJP-led NDA government over the Waqf Act during his Gandhi Maidan rally here on Sunday, Union Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi has launched a counter-attack, accusing the Bihar LoP of hypocrisy on the Waqf Act issue.

“Tejashwi should first get his own people to vacate graveyards and Waqf lands before giving speeches on Waqf. Ninety per cent of those who have occupied graveyards are your own people, so how can you say anything on this issue?” Jitan Ram Manji questioned.

Adding to the attack, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) national president and Bihar minister Santosh Kumar Suman made a sharp statement, predicting that Tejashwi Yadav will remain “unemployed” (out of power) till 2030.

Santosh Suman said: “The opposition is deceiving the youth in the name of employment. Tejashwi Yadav got employment in the government twice due to the grace of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar but lost it both times due to corruption allegations and trickery.”

He recalled that Tejashwi was first in government for 20 months before being removed due to corruption and ‘benami’ property allegations, and later returned for 17 months in 2022 before again losing power.

“Now, Tejashwi is asking for another 20 months by deceiving the youth of Bihar but his track record is so poor that he will never get a chance again. He will have to remain unemployed till 2030,” Suman said.

The HAM leader further stated that Tejashwi Yadav does not want power to provide jobs to Bihar’s youth but only to remove his own unemployment and loot Bihar.

Suman claimed that the youth and voters of Bihar now understand the deception of Tejashwi Yadav, who is restless for power.

Tejashwi Yadav, earlier on Sunday, accused the BJP of trying to snatch the rights of minorities and poor communities through the Waqf Act and voter list revisions, urging people to resist these moves.

The counterattack from Manjhi and Suman reflects the escalating war of words ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

–IANS

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