New Delhi, Oct 27 (IANS) Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said on Monday that the former CBI Joint Director’s recent accusations against the Congress and RJD have revealed how these parties used to “exert pressure” on governments when their leaders got caught in scams.

Former CBI Joint Director Upendra Nath Biswas, speaking to IANS on Sunday, had alleged that Congress and RJD were mounting pressure on the Centre, then led by former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, to shield RJD chief Lalu Yadav from getting arrested in the fodder scam.

In an interview with IANS, Rijiju slammed the Congress party and RJD over the ‘dynastic politics’ and claimed that these Opposition parties do not respect the Constitution.

He also discussed the Bihar Assembly elections, RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan’s Chief Ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav’s recent remarks about the Waqf Amendment Act, and accused the Opposition alliance of practising appeasement politics.

The following are the excerpts from the interview:

IANS: Former CBI Joint Director Upendra Nath Biswas has said that the Congress and RJD pressured him to protect RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav during the fodder scam case. How do you see this?

Kiren Rijiju: During the Congress era, there was no such thing as a system; they believed only in one family. You know the mentality of the Congress party and these people — one family is everything to them. They used to run everything, be it the CBI or the courts, according to their own wishes.

They do not respect the Constitution or the law. So, what the officer has said has brought to light the way the Congress used to exert pressure and remove state governments, and harass those in state governments without any reason. This has been a long-standing tradition of the Congress.

IANS: Tejashwi Yadav has said that if he wins, he will “throw the Waqf Act in the dustbin”. What do you have to say about this?

Kiren Rijiju: It’s surprising that Tejashwi Yadav claims to be the Chief Minister and doesn’t know the basic fact that the state government cannot overturn any law passed by Parliament. He does not know the Constitution. How can he talk like this?

The people of Bihar and the entire country are watching, laughing that a person who calls himself the Chief Minister candidate doesn’t even know that he will throw a Parliamentary Act into the dustbin if he becomes Chief Minister.

What kind of language is he using? First, I think, Tejashwi is not mature and lacks knowledge. Second, he is so desperate for power that he will say anything. To gain Muslim votes, will he say that he will throw the Waqf Act into the dustbin? How can he say such a thing?

IANS: Since you are the Union Minister of Minority Affairs, you also have responsibility for minorities. Can any state government deny the implementation of a bill passed by Parliament?

Kiren Rijiju: Any law passed by Parliament will apply to the entire country, to the entire India. No one can remove the power granted by the Constitution. So, can Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi explain that if they don’t obey the law passed by Parliament, if they don’t obey what the Supreme Court has cleared, then do they not obey Parliament, the Supreme Court or the Indian democracy?

The children of these few families consider themselves above the law, above the Constitution, above Parliament, so what can I do? But the country and the people are watching.

IANS: Do you think the Opposition is engaging in appeasement politics ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections?

Kiren Rijiju: For decades, Congress and RJD have ruled by doing Muslim appeasement, by deceiving and misleading Muslims. Now Muslims have understood this, and gradually they all will. But a large section of Muslims is being controlled by some people, who are trying to create a vote bank by misleading them, by intimidating them, and by using the BJP as a pretext.

Gradually, Muslims will also understand that the country will progress only because of PM Modi. Under PM Modi’s leadership, not just Muslims, but everyone, whether minority or majority, will be safe in India. Everyone knows this. So, Muslims have now also come to understand this to a large extent.

IANS: Chhath Puja is being celebrated. What is your message to the countrymen?

Kiren Rijiju: Chhath Puja is very special. This Chhath Puja, which involves bowing down and worshipping the rising and setting sun, is also a way to unite our entire communities and people from all walks of life, for the welfare of the world. I want to wish everyone a Happy Chhath Puja.

–IANS

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