PATNA: January 15, Patna: An estimated 60,000 people cheer loudly when former JNU students union president Kanhaiya Kumar rails against the Central government: “Ukhar ke fek do ye sarkar ko (Uproot this government and throw it away).”
January 17, Begusarai: “Gamcha bandh le mathe mein aur bhagao CAA NRC ka dar desh se (Tie a towel on the head and chase out the fear of CAA-NRC,” Kanhaiya said as he left another rally spellbound.
n Janaury 21, Gaya: He asked the crowd to beat the drum of the Central government. “Es sarkar ka dhol baja dalo.”
Love him or hate him, Kanhaiya Kumar is drawing crowds in droves. Described as the rising star in the Communist firmament, the former JNU student has been on the move since the past one month, addressing the masses on issues ranging from price rise, unemployment and what he claimed the divisive agenda of the Centre over the CAA, National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register. Intelligence sources said each of his rallies has been attended by at least 50,000-60,000 people, though his admirers put the number at over a lakh each. But whatever the debate over the numbers, even his detractors admit Kanhaiya has the knack of connecting with the masses that few can.
“Thousands are flocking to see him. They hear him with rapt attention, laugh at his quirkiness and marvel at the way he poses challenges to the government,” said an intelligence official. The biggest draw is the way he delivers his rustic charm, an attribute that is drawing comparisons with the inimitable Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Lalu Prasad.
Dharmendra Kumar, a left ideologue from Saran, said Kanhaiya explains issues far better than others, leaving the people to ask for more. “After the rallies, people at tea stalls and street corners debate and discuss what Kanhaiya said,” Kumar claimed. “He may be young but he is proving heavier than other Opposition leaders. What’s more people hear and believe him. He has made an impact,” said Kumar.
Manoj Kumar of Gaya said Kanhaiya was unlike the run of the mill politician.
“He is pithy and sarcastic, correct and irreverent and will take down anyone with clarity. That’s what I like about him, no beating about the bush but sticking to the basics,” Manoj said. Md. Ahmad Akhlaque, another one who attended Kanhaiya’s Gaya meeting, said Kanhaiya was the only leader who can take on the NDA government frontally. That’s what attracts us to him.”“His words evoke laughter, serious thought and analysis among the listeners, especially the young,” said Sanjay Kumar of Motihari.
For Prem Kumar of Begusarai, Kanhaiya has the ability to be rhetorical. At that rally, Kanhaiya urged the crowd to “dismantle the castles of arrogance.” “That line drew a massive applause for about two minutes,” recalled Prem Kumar, who attended it.Political analysts are of the view that the huge turnout at Kanhaiya’s rallies does not necessarily mean that he is a threat to the already established political leaders, much less Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. But they agree that he is reclaiming the field the communists lost in Bihar since the mid 1970s.
Buoyed by the massive turnout at his meetings, Kanhaiya has decided to embark on a padyatra from Bapudham in Motihari to Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Christened the “Desh Bachao Yatra,” it is set to commence on January 30 and last till February 29.“I will tour the villages. I will connect with the people. They need to know how they are discriminated against, left alone and debarred from benefits,” he said at Motihari.The man who was once labelled an anti national added: “We will carry out our struggle with the tricolour in hand. The BJP preaches an end to parivaarvad (dynasts) but the same party is riven with parivaars.”