JD (U) slams Oppn, says Nitish won't resign

The Janata Dal (United) on Sunday hit back at Opposition leaders, including Congress president Rahul Gandhi, for attending RJD's protest in the capital over the Muzaffarpur shelter home rape case even as it insisted that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not resign.

The party also expressed its readiness for a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the alleged rape of over 40 girls in the shelter home that hit headlines recently.

As leaders from Rahul to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal joined RJD's Tejashwi Yadav in the Saturday protest, senior JD(U) leader K C Tyagi described the protest as a "friendship day" of parties seeking "political mileage" from an "unfortunate and shameful" incident.

"How can rape of young girls which has shamed us could be an issue for Opposition parties to unite against the NDA government and the Nitish Kumar-led government in Bihar and demand his resignation. This politics over hapless victims in Bihar is the most unfortunate thing," Tyagi told reporters.

Tyagi said Rahul joining the protest was "unfortunate". He added, "I also condemn Sitaram Yechury (CPM General Secretary) and D Raja (CPI National Secretary) who have forgotten the killings of JNU president Chandra Shekhar and Purnia MLA Ajit Sarkar and joined the protest organised by the RJD."

The candle-light protest at Jantar Mantar was viewed as a show of strength by Opposition parties and signalled that the Congress and JD(U) may not ally in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha election as some of the leaders in these parties wanted.

A senior Opposition leader said Rahul's presence in the rally along with Tejashwi and his attack on Kumar has now put to rest any speculation on a possible alliance with the JD(U).

Tyagi had last week asked Rahul and Kejriwal to skip the protest, saying that they were known for "value-based politics" RJD was known for "jungle raaj and crimes".