PM "Manufacturer, Whole-Seller, Distributor" Of Lies, Says Tejashwi Yadav

Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav today launched a savage attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party, the BJP, at Mamata Banerjee's rally in Kolkata. In an emotive speech, Mr Yadav said the PM was the "factory, manufacturer, whole-seller, and distributor" of lies.

Taking a jibe at PM Modi-- who calls himself the chowkidar (watchman) of the people--Mr Yadav said if he was the chowkidar, the janata (Public) was the thanedaar (police).

Mr Yadav further said that investigative agencies Enforcement Directorate and CBI were the closest allies of the BJP.

"If you make a compromise with them, join them, you will be counted among Raja Harishchandra (Honest). But if you remind them of their promises, if you fight them, if you try to unite the country, if you don't bow before communal powers, then they would try to suppress you with the help of ED and CBI, which are their alliance partners," Tejashwi Yadav said at the rally.

"But, we are not among those who bow down to pressure. My father (Lalu Yadav) was sent to jail as part of a conspiracy, but we didn't bow because we have to save the country, we have to unite the country," Tejashwi Yadav added.

Mr Yadav warned PM Modi that the thanedar (public) will ensure that no mistake goes unpunished. "Agar galti karoge, to thanedar apko saza dega (if you commit a mistake, the public would punish you)," he said.

On the question of feasibility of a federal alliance, Mr Yadav said the proposed alliance represents "unity in diversity".

"People say these are leaders from different parties, different ideologies, they speak in different tones. Some time they sit together, some time they don't. We want to tell them-- in our diversity lies unity. And this is beauty of our country. We have different states, different languages, we even look different, but we are united, the country is united," Mr Yadav said.

An ensemble of opposition leaders congregated at the "United India Rally" organised by Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground today. Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav, DMK chief MK Stalin, Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah and Nationalist Congress Party head Sharad Pawar were in attendance.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi could not make it to the event, but he extended his support in a letter addressed to the Trinamool chief yesterday.