By Aditya Vaibhav: JD(U) spokesperson Neeraj Kumar on Saturday hosted a recital of ‘Mohammad Bodh’ to mark the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr at his official residence in Patna. The BJP took a veiled dig at Neeraj Kumar, terming him a “chunavi namazi”.

Speaking on the occasion, Neeraj Kumar underscored the importance of Mohammad Bodh and said that recital of this text on the occasion of Eid has a major significance. He told India Today that the recital of Mohammad Bodh on the occasion of Eid is in the tradition of the Nath sect.

Neeraj Kumar also targetted Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath saying, “To gain political dividends, Yogi intentionally keeps this away from common knowledge. He (Yogi) has been reciting this and getting blessings.”

According to Nath traditions, Saint Gorakhnath was the guru of Prophet Muhammad, who took the name of Mrtak Nath (the Lord of death). There is a text in Kabirpanthi literature which is known as Mohammad Bodh, an imaginary dialogue between the Prophet and saint-poet Kabir.

ALSO READ | Amit Shah reaches Bihar; BJP, JD(U) trade charges over cancellation of Sasaram visit

BJP REACTS

Without naming Neeraj Kumar, BJP spokesperson Arvind Singh on Saturday said, “Some people among the cadre of turncoats have now turned into seasonal namazis. They are trying their best to portray themselves as diehard namazis to reap political benefits.”

They neither have any sympathy for common people nor do they feel any sense of responsibility towards their voters, he asserted, adding that people with changing priorities are not trustworthy.

ALSO READ | Unable to handle Bihar: BJP’s swipe at Nitish Kumar for ‘below 100 seat’ remark

Ties between the BJP and JD(U) have been strained after Chief Minister Nitish Kumar pulled out of the NDA alliance in Bihar in August last year. He, subsequently, joined the Mahagathbandhan, a group of opposition parties, comprising RJD, Congress and other smaller parties.