Ramvilas Paswan defends Narendra Modi, says time to move on from Godhra

NEW DELHI: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Ramvilas Paswan on Tuesday countered opposition jibes for trying to promote the political career of his son Chirag, asking why these parties chose to remain silent when Congress president Sonia Gandhi initiated her son Rahul into politics, or when SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav did the same for his son and former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's son, grandson and great grandson became MPs.

"Why are you only allergic to my son's political launch," Paswan asked the Trinamool benches who were ridiculing him for promoting Chirag, now an MP from Jamui in Bihar.

The attention on Chirag, who chose to watch silently as his father shielded him, comes in the wake reported lobbying by the senior Paswan to get the first-time MP an MoS berth.

Of course, the trigger for the opposition's jibe against Paswan was the former's praise of PM Narendra Modi's leadership and his insistence that the "present mandate is unique and must be respected by all".

Putting the post-Godhra riots of 2002, when he had resigned in protest from ministership in the then NDA government, firmly behind him, Paswan said when the people, disenchanted with years of misrule, try to elect someone else, "you always term him as secular or communal".

"Have you forgotten the Emergency era, the Hindu-Sikh riots, communal riots of Bhagalpur and the recent Muzaffarnagar riots? How long will you rant the Godhra incident which took place 12 years ago? Why are you trying to put a spoke in the moving wheel of the chariot of time? If the honourable prime minister says that we will not tolerate any riot or crime, then you must have faith in his statement," he said, seeking to silent detractors of Modi in the opposition benches.

Paswan said the country was in need of a strong Prime Minister. "There is no dearth of leaders and policies, but what is needed are good and honest intentions," he said.

Appreciating the NDA's agenda to eradicate poverty and revamp the education system, he said when the President's says "Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat", he means Indians are first. "The party or individual interest can be taken care of later."

Faulting the UPA government for failing to pass a single constitutional amendment for providing reservation in promotions, he said his party has repeatedly demanded that the government order governing the reservation policy be converted into an Act.

Praising the Modi government for pitching for women's reservation in Parliament, Paswan recalled that Modi had given maximum representation to women in the Cabinet since Independence.

"Hon'ble President has said 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padao'. He also promised to give 33% reservation to women. Is there any objection to these issues? Why these should not be supported?" he asked.