Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Amit Shah will observe a day-long fast on Thursday, 12 April, over disruptions during the Budget Session of Parliament, reported ANI.
All BJP MPs will also observe the fast.
BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao told News18 that the fast was proposed by PM Modi and that this was the BJP’s way of communicating to the nation that the party was aware of the injustice done to the people due to disruption of Parliament.
This year’s Budget Session has reportedly been the worst in terms of productivity in the last eight years, with both the BJP and the Congress playing the blame game.
Shah will hold a 'dharna' (sit-in) in poll-bound Karnataka's Hubli.
The party will also observe the birth anniversary of Jyotiba Phule, a social reformer from the backward caste, on 11 April as Samta Divas (equality day).
On this day, Modi will address the MPs and interact with some of them, sources told ANI. They added that as directed by the prime minister, the BJP MPs will also organise events to mark the birth anniversary of Dalit icon BR Ambedkar on 14 April.
The announcement comes a day after Congress president Rahul Gandhi led a pan-India fast on Monday, 9 April, over a number of issues, including atrocities against minorities, disruption of Parliament, and a demand for communal harmony.
The protest, however, was marred by controversies like pictures of Congress leaders having food and the presence of 1984 anti-Sikh riots accused leaders Jagdish Tytler and Sajjan Kumar.
BJP Workers to Join PM’s Fast, Kejriwal Calls it ‘Cute’
Several BJP leaders from across the nation declared their support to Modi’s call of holding a fast on 12 April.
However, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal hit out at the BJP’s move, saying it was “just one day fast... against himself.”
“This is a farce of a fast by PM Modi and the BJP. The fast should be to seek an apology from the children whose lives have been jeopardised due to the CBSE and the SSC scams. They should tender an apology to the Dalits,” Congress spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told ANI.
(With inputs from ANI and News18)
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