Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's estranged daughter Asha on Sunday, 13 January, staged a sit-in in Patna along with RJD women activists to protest her father's 'angootha chhap' (illitrate) jibe allegedly targeted at party leader Rabri Devi.
Paswan had, at a press conference on Friday, 11 January, attacked the Opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for opposing the NDA-led government's bill to provide 10 percent reservation for the economically backward in general category.
“They (RJD) believe in merely raising slogans and making ‘angootha chhap’ (illiterate person) the chief minister,” he had said, without naming anybody.
Paswan’s Remarks Seen as Reference to Events of 1997
Asha, who is Paswan's daughter from his first marriage, had demanded an apology from him.
His remarks were seen as a reference to the events of 1997 when RJD chief Lalu Prasad had to step down as Bihar chief minister as he faced arrest in the fodder scam cases and his wife, Rabri Devi, who has little formal education, was appointed as his successor.
Married to Arun Sadhu, who is the state president of the RJD SC/ST cell, Asha refrained from storming the headquarters of Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Patna, which she had threatened to do on Saturday.
Instead, she staged the sit-in at Gardanibagh, barely a kilometer away from the LJP headquarters.
‘Take Back Your Words,’ Say RJD Activists
She was joined by women RJD activists, who carried placards and raised slogans demanding that the union minister "apologise" and "take his words back."
Talking to reporters at a different location, Sadhu reiterated that his wife would like to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur seat, which is considered Paswan's pocket borough, "if the RJD gives her a ticket."
Paswan has declared that he will not be contesting from the seat in the upcoming general elections and would take the Rajya Sabha route to enter Parliament. Speculations are rife that one of Paswan's close family members may be given the ticket in his place.
(This copy has been edited for length.)
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