Patna, Aug 30: Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Opposition, calling their ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ a “hoax,” while asserting that the BJP-led campaign has been a resounding success.

His comments came in response to Samajwadi Party chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav joining the Congress-led ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar’s Saran district earlier in the day. Congress leader K.C. Venugopal had described Yadav as a “steadfast ally” in the fight to “protect democracy” from the BJP’s 'authoritarianism'.

Lalan Singh said, “Our yatra is a successful one; theirs is a hoax. They are doing yatras while targeting PM Modi, a leader who has elevated India’s global stature. Now, they’ve stooped so low as to abuse the Prime Minister’s late mother.”

Reflecting on the past, Singh referred to the RJD’s rule in Bihar from 1990 to 2005 amid the PM Modi abuse row.

“Back then, the same kind of language and politics prevailed. Today’s comments show that Tejashwi Yadav and his allies want to bring back that old, regressive culture. But the people of Bihar are alert and aware,” he asserted.

Responding to accusations by Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav, who claimed the BJP was spreading false narratives, Singh said, “It’s actually Tejashwi and Rahul Gandhi who are setting fake narratives. They parade around with copies of the Constitution but are the ones tearing it apart in spirit.”

On the controversy around voter citizenship verification, Singh backed the Election Commission of India’s move.

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“The Commission has only asked people to prove their citizenship. Questions have been raised about Rahul Gandhi’s citizenship before — he should clarify that first. They are the ones engaging in fraud and then creating fake issues,” he said.

Dismissing the Opposition's rhetoric as an outcome of political desperation and abusing PM Modi and his mother, Singh added, “This is nothing but frustration, which is why they’ve turned to abusive language.”

Commenting on Friday’s clash between Congress and BJP workers in Patna, Singh said, “Every action has a reaction. If someone abuses the Prime Minister’s late mother, a reaction is only natural.”

He was commenting on an incident that took place at a rally organised by local Congress leader Mohammad Naushad, an aspirant for the Jaale Assembly seat, as part of the ongoing 'Voter Adhikar Yatra'.

As the crowd was waiting for Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and other leaders to arrive, a man snatched the microphone from the stage at the rally in Bithauli and shouted abusive words targeting the Prime Minister and his late mother.

The controversy flared after a video of the incident went viral on social media, showing several workers raising slogans and hurling abuses despite attempts by others to stop them. The video also captured children and locals climbing onto the stage amid the commotion.

(IANS/NS)

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