Prominent Oppn leaders raise pitch against BJP

Before Stalin and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi ultimately issued a clarion call for fighting the BJP, Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Prasad Yadav set the tone by declaring that the parties fighting for social justice should hit the street to ensure comprehensive social representation and diversity in judiciary.

Tejashwi said, “Leaders like my father who fought for social justice and equality suffered a lot and are suffering immensely even now. One of the reasons which makes people like my father suffer is because of the fact that independent institutions are compromised and pressured to function for political ends, particularly the collegium-based judiciary lacks comprehensive social representation and diversity.” Taking cue from Yadav, former Kashmir chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the very “idea of India we stand for faces an onslaught” and Tamil Nadu was the bastion to fight the onslaught.

Stating that he was here to warn of what was done to Jammu and Kashmir could be done to other states, Abdullah elaborated the unilateral trifurcation of his state by the BJP and said, “My state was divided and downgraded to Union territory without the permission of the state people. What started in Jammu and Kashmir will not stop there, what stops them from doing the same to TN and Kerala.” Echoing similar views, Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan called Malayalis and Tamils as “children of the same soil and brothers and sisters,” and said that it was the time to stand together in defence of the Constitution.