Manoj Jha Blames BJP for Turning President’s Office into a Political Battleground

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha on Saturday took to the media to accuse the ruling BJP of dragging the President’s office into a fresh controversy. He said the meeting between the INDIA bloc delegation and President Droupadi Murmu was being politicised by the BJP, not by the opposition.

Speaking to ANI, Jha recalled how President Murmu listened to the delegation’s grievances with “genuine concern” and asked them to back their claims with concrete evidence. “It is the BJP that is pulling the President’s office into this row, not us,” he asserted, adding that the President had stressed the dignity of the office she occupies.

According to Jha, senior opposition leaders Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge also praised the President’s empathy during the encounter. He questioned whether the President was even aware of the ground realities in Delhi and the expectations of ordinary citizens, urging people not to rely on vague “sources” or statements from Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Jha further slammed the BJP for refusing to acknowledge the opposition’s concerns, accusing it of “shifting the goalposts” and trying to “white‑wash” the issue. “You should accept that you have wronged your own people. Nothing will be achieved by moving the target and ignoring the facts,” he said.

Later the same day, BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad turned the tables, reminding everyone that India is governed by Parliament, not by street protests. He pointed to the party’s recent electoral victories in Assam, Nandigram and Puducherry, saying those wins came despite ongoing demonstrations in Delhi.

“Indian democracy has thwarted attempts to incite anarchy,” Prasad declared. “The country will be governed by Parliament, not by the streets.” He added that the BJP was not opposed to protests per se, but accused the opposition of weaponising them after suffering electoral setbacks.

Amid the political sparring, Delhi police reported that roughly a thousand demonstrators were detained on Saturday while trying to reach Jantar Mantar for a rally organised by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar.

The episode underscores how quickly a meeting meant for dialogue can morph into a partisan flashpoint, with both sides accusing each other of exploiting the President’s office for their own narratives.