JD-U, RJD, Cong see red over BJP leader's Bihar brides remark

Signalling close cooperation among them, Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress on Monday made a strong protest in both Houses of Bihar legislature against Haryana Bharatiya Janata Party leader O P Dhankhar’s controversial remarks ‘Bihari bride for Haryana boys’ forcing adjournment in both places, but BJP described it as a non-issue.

Members of JD-U, RJD and Congress which have given enough hint of fighting together against BJP in the coming state assembly election next year, jointly rushed into the well of both the Houses demanding action against Dhankhar and his “close friend” Sushil Kumar Modi.

Dhankhar, who is BJP Kisan Morcha (farmers’ cell) president, had reportedly on Saturday made a controversial remark while addressing a party workers meeting in Haryana that if his party was voted to power in state poll, it would get girls from Bihar to ensure men in Haryana get married. He had further said that former Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi was his close friend and he would extend help.

Haryana has lowest sex ratio in the country with 879 women for 1,000 men according to 2011 census. As Bihar Legislative Assembly sat for the day, JD-U, RJD and Congress members rushed into well shouting slogans against BJP and demanded action against Dhankhar and resignation of Sushil Kumar Modi as leader of opposition in the legislative council.    

BJP members were also seen in the well of the Assembly, but on a different issue of demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into purchase of alleged spurious medicines for hospitals which resulted in death of a person in Bhagalpur recently. When all persuasions failed, Speaker Udai Narayan Choudhary first adjourned assembly till 12 and later till 2 pm. 

Later, Sushil Kumar Modi told reporters in his Council chamber that it was a non-issue which the ruling party was using to divert attention from the issue of supply of spurious drugs in hospitals.

Defending BJP colleague O P Dhankhar, Sushil Modi said he had a talk over telephone with him and he said he meant to say that party would stop illegal trafficking of girls “purchased” from Bihar into Haryana and married there and would get the marriage done in a legalised manner. “There is nothing wrong in inter-state marriages. Even RJD President Lalu Prasad’s three daughters have been married in Haryana in a proper manner,” Sushil Modi said.

On opposition threat of lodging a case against him and Dhankhar in a court, Sushil Modi said, “I am prepared for it.” Ruling out his resignation, Sushil Modi said instead of ordering a probe into illegal trafficking of girls to Haryana and other states, the ruling JD-U was disrupting House on the issue for political gains.

Earlier, RJD leader Bhai Birendra while speaking to mediapersons demanded arrest of Dhankhar and an apology from Sushil Modi.

Image: O P Dhankar. Photograph: ANI/Twitter