Bihar Chief Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar.
After BSP, JD(U) today announced its support to the government's economic reform measures including Goods and Services Tax (GST) but the BJP-led ruling dispensation continued to face combined opposition attack on the issue of "intolerance" and the controversial remarks of some Union Ministers.
Participating in the debate on 'Commitment to the Constitution', Trinamool Congress member Derek O'Brien accused Finance Minister Arun Jaitley of indulging in "cowboy Constitutionalism" on the issue of obstructions in Parliament.
Mr O'Brien also got into a spat with Left leaders over his remarks that they cannot question the Right for "not participating" in the freedom struggle as they have also done the same.
Attacking the BJP over the issue of "Hindu Rashtra", JD(U) leader KC Tyagi cited the low representation of Muslims in political and constitutional posts and castigated some BJP leaders for their 'Pakistan' remarks, reminding that Indian Muslims did not go to Pakistan during partition despite having the option.
"We support you on GST, Insurance Bill (on raising FDI cap to from 26 49 per cent). We totally support you on Coal and Mines (Bills). But you should also ask your 5-6 ministers to cooperate with the Constitution. One says former President Abdul Kalam was Muslim yet he was a nationalist. Is being a Muslim some crime? Another one says those who vote for us are Ramzaade (progenies of Ram) while all others are Haramzaade (bastards). Will you take the revenge of what happened with Hindus in Pakistan with Muslims in India," asked Mr Tyagi.
"Ambedkar would have never told even his opponents that they will be sent to Pakistan. Your minister speaks as if you are a travel agent of Pakistan. Ambedkar would have never supported that some particular religious book is imposed on all, the way an attempt is being made now to make India a theocratic state," the JD(U) leader alleged.
He also asked the BJP leaders to fight Congress but "not make an attempt to finish off the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi. These are not their legacies but that of the nation," he said, amid thumping of benches by members from Congress and other Opposition parties.
Taking objection to Mr Jaitley's reported remarks on whether an unelected House override the decision of the elected House, Mr O'Brien said the Leader of the House makes statements outside the House "demeaning" the Rajya Sabha.
"Please do not indulge in cowboy Constitutionalism. This is cowboy Constitutionalism at the worst," he said telling Mr Jaitley that he should not make such remarks only because the numbers in the Rajya Sabha do not favour the BJP.