Congress leader alleges 'political use' of religious leaders by NDA in Bihar

Katihar (Bihar): Senior Congress leader Tariq Anwar on Sunday charged the BJP-led NDA in Bihar with making "political use" of religious leaders like Acharya Dhirendra Shastri alias Bageshwar Baba ahead of the assembly polls later this year.

Anwar, who addressed a press conference in his Lok Sabha constituency of Katihar, was asked about Shastri's tour of Gopalganj where he is likely to stay till Monday.

The former Union minister, in a sarcastic tone, said, "I have no problem with these religious leaders going anywhere. But, I wonder why they are made to always take the trouble of visiting poll-bound areas." "It appears the NDA is making political use of these 'babas’, since it is wary of facing the people in elections with its dismal track record on governance,” alleged Anwar.

The 29-year-old Shastri has been speaking of the need to make India a "Hindu Rashtra", drawing sharp reactions from parties opposed to the BJP, which claim that he was being propped up by the saffron party to polarise voters along religious lines.