New Delhi, September 29, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Kumar Jha on Tuesday responded to BJP President Nitin Nabin’s allegations that the Opposition was misleading the public over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying that the issue had been investigated by The Indian Express and supported by evidence.
Nabin had on Saturday accused the Opposition of deliberately misleading the public over the SIR exercise and targeting constitutional institutions.
Speaking to IANS, Jha said the Opposition had not raised the issue initially, pointing out that it was the newspaper that had investigated the matter and presented its findings with evidence.
“The Opposition did not raise the question. The Indian Express investigated it. It presented it with evidence. What should we do after that? I mean, if you want to make allegations against the Opposition as well, then make allegations with evidence. This is not appropriate,” Jha said.
He reiterated that allegations against the Opposition should be supported by evidence, adding that making such claims without substantiation was inappropriate.
Reacting to the Ujjain Shahi Masjid dispute, Jha criticised what he described as attempts to create divisions along religious lines.
“I say it directly, any such methodology, if it is from the perspective of dog-whistle politics, is not appropriate. What are you doing? You are doing othering; you are doing demonisation,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Jha referred to a speech delivered by its chief, Mohan Bhagwat, in New York.
“I don’t understand why this didn’t reach (RSS chief) Mohan Bhagwat. He gave such a good speech in New York. Did he leave it on the flight while coming back to India or at the immigration desk?” he remarked.
On Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav’s absence from the INDIA bloc meeting, Jha said the party had sent a representative on his behalf and dismissed suggestions of a rift within the Opposition alliance.
“He is not going there, but a representative is going there on his behalf. So, this is for headline management and for a few media channels. But, on the ground there is nothing like any rift,” he said.
Jha also responded to Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s remarks on deities, highlighting the diversity of religious traditions across different regions of India.
Without commenting on Reddy’s classification of deities in terms of wealth, Jha said that Shiva, Goddess Kali, Tara and different forms of Shakti were accorded importance in the region he comes from.
“Different forms of Shakti are given priority. This has been the diversity of Hinduism, that every area, according to its own circumstances, has conceived of its deity,” he said.
Referring to religious traditions in eastern India, Jha said the importance given to the Goddess increased in regions such as Bengal and Assam. He cautioned against interpreting these differences through a lens of religious hierarchy.
“If someone approaches this reality in a manner of hegemony, saying that these should be worshipped first and these are the most prominent, then there is a need to understand that intent,” he added.
Reddy’s remarks have triggered a political controversy, with the BJP criticising the Congress leader. On Monday, the Telangana Chief Minister had claimed that the Congress was successful in southern India but not in the northern states, alleging that the BJP had appropriated Lord Ram, who is widely revered in the north, while Shiva was worshipped in southern states.
Speaking at an event in Delhi, Reddy also claimed that a nationwide agitation against the SIR would emerge, comparing it to the “Simon, Go Back” movement during India’s freedom struggle.
“We are Dravidians. People here (north) are Aryans. We are devotees of Shiva. These are devotees of Lord Ram. BJP stole Ram. It’s an emotion. It’s a sentiment. Why does Modi ji not say ‘Har Har Mahadev’? Have BJP people ever said ‘Har Har Mahadev’ on a stage? They say only ‘Jai Shri Ram’,” Reddy had said.
“Shiva is the God of the poor, Ram is the God of the rich, and the BJP is a party of the rich,” he further claimed.
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