Nitish, who coined Sangh-mukt Bharat, to share dais with Mohan Bhagwat

Eighteen months after he gave a clarion call for a Sangh-mukt Bharat (an India free of RSS), Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is likely to share dais with the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Wednesday.

The function has been organised at Bihar’s Bhojpur district on October 4 to celebrate the 1000th birth anniversary of a theologian Ramanuja Acharya. The 11th-century theologist, whose teachings had a great influence on the Bhakti movement, was born in 1017. Acharya spent a part of his life spreading the Bhakti movement in Bhojpur.

Though there has been no official communication, sources within the BJP and the RSS confirmed that Nitish and Bhagwat will share the dais at the ‘Dharam Sansad’ at Chandwa, around 65 kms from here. “The followers of Acharya will perform yagna too as a mark of tribute to the 11th-century theologian,” said the source.

The JD (U), however, is not amused over Nitish sharing the dais with Bhagwat. “One should not read much politics into a meeting which is basically a religious and cultural occasion where several top leaders have been invited. Why to single out one particular person?” said JD (U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar.

This stand is in sharp contrast to Nitish’s assertion in April 2016 when he asked all the non-BJP parties to unite so as to make India a “Sangh-mukt Bharat”. The call was seen as an answer to the BJP which earlier had given a call to make Congress-mukt Bharat.

But ever since Nitish dumped Lalu’s RJD and Congress to join the NDA bandwagon in July this year, he has shown no inhibitions in lauding the BJP. “For Nitish, muh mein Ram, dimaag mein Nathuram. (When he says Ram, he actually means Nathuram Godse). This is precisely why we say Nitish is Paltu-ram (who makes frequent U-turns),” said Bihar RJD chief Ram Chandra Purve.