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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday sought to make light of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Sitab Diara, the village where Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan was born, on his 120th birth anniversary, as he said that the Bharatiya Janata Party leader did not have the age or experience to comment on the socialist icon's legacy.
The Janata Dal-United leader's outbursts against his former ally came in response to queries from journalists about Shah's speech earlier in the day at Sitab Diara.
"He came into prominence only 2002 onwards, when the current Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) was the chief minister (of Gujarat). What was his standing then and where was he before that," Kumar quipped, testily reacting to Shah's allegation that he had betrayed JP by 'sitting in the lap of the Congress'.
"He wants to speak about the JP movement which took place in 1974. What does he know about it? How old is he," Kumar, 71, asked sarcastically, referring to Shah who is in his late 50s.
The Janata Dal-United de facto leader, who has often said that the BJP is no more what it was under Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, added that 'the previous generation of leaders had many good qualities. But these people have no respect for anybody, no knowledge about anything'.
The Bihar CM was interacting with the media after a symposium organised on the occasion of JP's 120th birth anniversary by the JD-U, which he addressed immediately upon return from Nagaland where another function was held by his party to commemorate the socialist leader's close association with the north-eastern state.
When asked about indirect reference, in his speech, to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh's virtual non-participation in the Independence movement and alleged role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Kumar chose to dig in his heels.
"Find out what is written in books of history and correct me if I am wrong," he said firmly.
In his speech, Kumar, who quit the National Democratic Alliance two months ago, had also mocked the attempts of BJP, without mentioning the party by name, to assert that it was closely associated with JP and his struggles.
Accusing his former ally of pursuing divisive politics, Kumar, who has embarked upon an attempt to forge opposition unity across the country ahead of 2024 Lok Sabha polls, also asked the people to be on guard against 'attempts to pit one community against another'.
He proudly underscored his close association with JP, stating that he had been a part of a 14-member committee of student activists spearheading the movement of 1974 and was among those who were sent to jail during the Emergency.
The Bihar CM reacted with disdain when asked about his former deputy Sushil Kumar Modi's statement that the Union home minister, widely regarded as the BJP's principal strategist, will cover all districts of the state in his forthcoming tours.
"Who has stopped anybody from going anywhere? He (Sushil Kumar Modi) is however trying hard to make himself count by attacking me. May he succeed in catching the attention of his party bosses though nobody seems to be attaching any importance to what he says," said Kumar.