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CP Singh in Bokaro on Tuesday. (Pankaj Singh)
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Bokaro, June 26: Assembly Speaker C.P. Singh today affirmed his Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) credentials, defending the BJP’s parent outfit without accepting or denying claims that it was dictating terms to the state government.
Speaking to The Telegraph, the BJP leader avoided any direct answer to claims from a few quarters that RSS was issuing diktats and had its say in the day-to-day functions of the state government, including transfers of officials.
Singh vocally supported the saffron organisation, saying he was a born RSS supporter and proud of its nationalist stance and actions that bore a pro-Indian character.
“Fearing the Sangh’s rising popularity, it was banned in 1948 and again in 1975, but the RSS has always stood tall and faced tough times without doing anything wrong. It is only working to strengthen the country,” said Singh.
He refused comment when asked if Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi was a secular leader who could be an able Prime Minister.
“I will not comment at this juncture. If I make a statement, I will be crossing the lakhsman rekha (boundary), which will not be appropriate,” Singh said with a smile.
In the city to launch a private transport company, the Speaker added legislators and senior officials were not above the law, condemning any instance of misbehaviour by the representatives in public.
The Speaker also rubbished the allegations made against him by Vishrampur MLA Chandrashekhar Dubey, who had labelled Singh as a “casteist” and as a leader with a criminal background.
Singh admitted that a magistrate had pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to month in jail, but he had appealed to the higher court, so there was no question of stepping down.
“Chadrashekhar Dubey is free to make allegations, but as I respect him, I will pray that the Almighty give him with brains to exercise control. Everyone knows what sort of a man he is,” the Speaker said.
Dubey quits panel
Chandrashekhar Dubey today resigned from the Assembly's public accounts committee to protest the Speaker’s decision to name Hazaribagh MLA Saurabh Narayan Singh of Congress as the panel’s chairman.
Dubey, who is also a Congress MLA, even questioned the Speaker’s right to re-constitute the Assembly committees, accusing the latter of casteist politics.
“I have been an MLA since 1985. I was also a minister in the erstwhile Bihar government and a Lok Sabha member. I am even senior to C.P. Singh. How can I be made to work under Saurabh, who became an MLA in 2005?” he said.
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