Giriraj Singh has foot and mouth disease : Brinda Karat

Patna | CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat on Friday hit out at union minister and senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh for his comment on the Muslim community and said he suffers from “foot and mouth disease”.

Singh was on Thursday booked for violating the model code of conduct for his controversial remarks against the community at a rally in Begusarai on Wednesday in the presence of BJP national president Amit Shah, who was campaigning for him.

He had said that members of the community need land even after their death for the burial of their mortal remains.

“Giriraj Singh has the disease called ‘foot and mouth disease. This shows the politics of Modi (PM) and Shah (BJP president) who patronise a serial offender by giving ticket to him,” Karat told reporters here.

In medical parlance the hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral ailment that usually affects infants and children younger than five years old. Typical symptoms include fever, mouth sores and skin rash.

The firebrand BJP leader has courted controversy on a number of occasions on account of his outbursts. His comment ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha polls that those opposed to Narendra Modi deserved to be deported to Pakistan has led to much lampooning.

In the video footage of Singh’s brief address at the Wednesday rally, which was telecast by news channels, he is heard saying “I would like to say, Giriraj Singh’s ancestors died and were cremated. You need a yard of land even after you die, for the burial of your mortal remains. If you say you cannot chant Vande Mataram, this nation will never forget you.

“There are many people who are trying to spread communal passions. We will not allow that to happen anywhere in Bihar, including Begusarai. The RJD candidate in Darbhanga recently said he had problems with reciting Vande Mataram”, Singh said referring to Abdul Bari Siddiqui’s comments on Sunday last.

“In Begusarai too, many can be seen spewing venom wearing bade bhai ka kurta and chhote bhai ka pyjama”, he said referring to the long shirts and short trousers that are usually associated with devout muslims.

Karat referred to the “objectionable” speeches made by Singh, Yogi Adityanath and Pragya Singh Thakur and said that BJP and RSS have “deliberately diverted” the issues of unemployment, women security, GST and demonetisation.

Adityanath was issued a showcause by the Election Commission for his “Modiji ki sena” comment which violated its advisory of keeping armed forces away from political campaign.

The EC had asked him to be more careful.

Malegaon blast accused Pragya Singh Thakur was served notices by the EC for her comments that police officer Hemant Karkare had died in the 26/11 Bombay terror attack as she had “cursed” him for torturing her and that she was proud of Babri Masjid demolition.

Singh, is pitted against former JNU student leader and CPI candidate Kanhaiya Kumar and RJDs Tanveer Hasan in a triangular contest in Begusarai.

Karat, a CPI-M Politburo member said BJP and RSS have adopted the erstwhile British policy of divide and rule and that people will vote against them.

She claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Shah have become panicky as BJP and RSS have lost their grounds in the elections held so far in the country.

As per reports the position of the Left parties will be strengthened, she claimed.

We are in the fourth phase of elections and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are panicky as the BJP and RSS have lost their grounds in three phases of elections held so far across the country. Whenever the PM opens his mouth, he spews venom instead of using words. We find poison in every speech by him,” Karat told reporters here.

One brand of poison cant replace another poison and the people of West Bengal will not replace the TMC government with BJP.

“We are confident that the slogan desh bachao, BJP, RSS Narendra Modi hatao has been well accepted by the people and this is going to happen, she said and exuded confidence that the position of the Left would be strengthened as per reports which had reached her.

Left parties performance will be better specially in West Bengal and their representation will increase in Parliament, Karat said adding she had received positive reports on it. She, however, refused to speak on the number of seats that the Left parties expect to win.

“BJP will score zero in the south. It is facing tough challenges in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, while it is on the backfoot in other states,” she claimed before leaving for Ujiarpur to campaign for CPI-M candidate Ajay Kumar.

Karat also criticized the BJP government for not allowing visitors, specially family members, to meet RJD president Lalu Prasad who is in prison in Ranchi in connection with fodder scam cases.

Allowing visitors to a leader serving a sentence is e “minimum humanity” expected of any government. People will not forgive the BJP for this as it is the “worst example of politics of hatred”, she added.