JDU's Neeraj Kumar slams RJD leader for comparing Lalu Yadav with Lord Shiva

Patna, July 2 (IANS) A political controversy has erupted in Bihar after RJD MLC Urmila Thakur compared party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav with Lord Shiva during an event in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday evening.

Her remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the Janata Dal United (JDU).

Party MLC Neeraj Kumar on Wednesday condemned the comparison as “absolutely inappropriate.”

“Lord Shiva is the one who does the welfare of the world, but Lalu Yadav is among those who created havoc in Bihar. Lalu Prasad’s corruption dragged his entire family into legal trouble. Lord Shiva removes everyone’s sorrow, but Lalu Yadav could not even remove his own sorrow and had to undergo a kidney transplant,” Neeraj Kumar said.

RJD leader Urmila Thakur described Lalu Yadav as a “living God on earth” who gave voice and respect to the poor, stating, “One was Lord Shiva, and the other is Babu Lalu Prasad in Kaliyug.”

Thakur, during her speech, further likened Lalu Yadav to Hindu deities such as Bhishma Pitamah, Lord Krishna, and Lord Ram, asserting that just as these figures are irreplaceable, so is Lalu Prasad Yadav in Bihar’s politics.

“Shiva is the god of the poor. His vehicle is a buffalo, but he also rides a tiger, and the tiger does not eat the buffalo because Shiva’s world is a symbol of harmony. Similarly, Lalu Yadav is a god-like leader who unites the poor and the deprived,” she said, adding that she herself, the daughter of a barber, reached the Legislative Council due to Lalu Yadav’s vision.

The statement has sparked a heated debate in Bihar’s political circles, with opposition parties calling it a “dangerous mix of faith and politics.”

While the RJD has not issued an official response, political analysts suggest that such religiously charged statements, especially during the election season, could be aimed at emotionally connecting with a section of voters but may also risk creating controversy for the party.

Urmila Thakur, who hails from Begusarai, has been associated with the RJD for a long time, beginning her political career with a Zila Parishad win in 2000 and now serving in the Legislative Council.

--IANS

ajk/uk