Lalu Prasad Yadav reminds me of a committed champion of secularism, socialism and social welfarism decorating and defining his camaraderie with his constituents — backward, downtrodden and oppressed. For this fact, he reminded his audience of Karpoori Thakur and JP Narayan, amongst others who valiantly fought for the rightful and dutiful place of the subalterns in society and social structure.
He talked about how the BJP led NDA government at the centre has been bulldozing this core by effectively pauperising and polarising this section, impacting their cohesion and solidarity. He focused on the strengths of the politicisation of the Scheduled Castes and other backward castes by socialist parties opening up representation and reservation for them in specific sectors where they earlier ceased to exist.
Speaking on the 25th foundation day of Rashtriya Janta Dal, he became emotional citing reference to late Ramvilas Paswan who morally stood his ground when it came to the identity question of the suppressed and secluded. Someone who closely cooperated, collaborated and coordinated with Lalu in the best of his political calibre and capacity.
He summed up with his association and involvement with various social and political movements in the state, addressing deprivation and despair of castes falling on the other side of the varna.
I believe Lalu Yadav has left the field wide open for his son Tejashwi Prasad Yadav to introspect and investigate, suitably learning from his scheme of settings as for a Lalu who was both witty and wise with his appeals and utterances. It’s not a task to be one like them, soaking and securing a place of purpose and pride in politics by being his very own.