New Delhi, Oct 31 (IANS) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and star campaigner Manoj Tiwari launched a sharp attack on the Mahagathbandhan on Friday, accusing the Opposition alliance of “repeatedly insulting” the faith and cultural sentiments of Hindus. He said that politics cannot be done by “hurting people’s religious beliefs.”

Before heading for his roadshow in Khagaria, Tiwari said, “No one can do politics by hurting anyone’s faith. The Mahagathbandhan is hurting religious sentiments, insulting the Ram Temple, Lord Krishna’s Mathura, Kashi, and the Sanatan faith. Rahul Gandhi called Chhath a ‘drama’ — I want to ask Tejashwi Yadav if he will now separate himself from Rahul Gandhi on this issue.”

The actor-turned-politician, known for his strong connect with Bihar’s cultural roots, further added that he had personally advised Bhojpuri actor Khesari Lal Yadav “not to oppose the Ram Temple.” “Khesari is my younger brother, and he will always remain dear to me,” he said, while urging him to stand with people’s faith instead of those who disrespect it.

Tiwari strongly condemned the Opposition’s alleged attempts to “mock” Hindu beliefs, saying, “The Mahagathbandhan continuously insults our temples and traditions. They are not only disrespecting the faith of crores of Hindus but also playing with the soul of India. I urge the people of Bihar to protect and preserve Bihar’s culture and faith.”

On his ongoing campaign, the BJP MP said the weather had caused some disruptions in travel, but he was overwhelmed by the response from people online.

“I couldn’t personally go to Banka and Purnea yesterday, so I addressed people there via Facebook. Surprisingly, that address has already been watched by over 600,000 people. The enthusiasm for the NDA is strong, and the Prime Minister will be visiting soon,” he said.

Reiterating that Nitish Kumar remains the NDA’s chief ministerial candidate, Tiwari clarified, “From the very first day, Nitish Kumar has been the NDA’s CM face. Every leader formally endorses this through the legislative party and organisational process. This is a democratic and constitutional procedure, whoever leads our alliance becomes the Chief Minister, and the legislative party formally elects that person through due process.”

Concluding his remarks, the BJP leader appealed to voters: “The people of Bihar have always valued faith, unity and progress. We pray to the people of Bihar to protect and build Bihar, not break it.”

–IANS

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