Ram Vilas Paswan’s daughter stages dharna over father’s alleged remarks against Rabri Devi

Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan’s estranged daughter Asha today staged dharna against her own father at Gardanibagh along with some RJD women activists. This came after Ram Vilas Paswan’s 'angootha chhap' jibe allegedly targeting RJD leader Rabri Devi.

On Friday, Paswan launched a blistering attack against the opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for opposing the NDA-led government's bill to provide 10 per cent reservation for the economically backward in general category.

"They (RJD) believe in merely raising slogans and making 'angootha chhap' (illiterate person) the chief minister," he had said, without naming anybody. Soon after this remark, Asha, who is Paswan's daughter from his first marriage, had on Saturday demanded an apology from him.

Married to Arun Sadhu, who is the state president of the RJDs SC/ST cell, Asha refrained from storming the headquarters of Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) here, which she had threatened to do on Saturday.

Instead, she staged the sit-in at Gardanibagh, barely a kilometer away from the LJP headquarters.

The remark of Ram Vilas was seen as a reference to the event that unfolded after RJD national president Lalu Prasad Yadav stepped down from his position as the chief minister of Bihar in 1997 after he faced arrest in the fodder scam and Rabri Devi who has little formal education, was appointed as his successor.

Asha, along with some RJD women activists carried placards and raised slogans demanding that the Union minister "apologise" and "take his words back". Talking to reporters at a different location, Sadhu reiterated that his wife would like to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls from Hajipur seat, which is considered Paswan's pocket borough, "if the RJD gives her a ticket".

Paswan has declared that he will not be contesting from the seat in the upcoming general elections and would take the Rajya Sabha route to enter Parliament.