Bara: As the House of Representatives election approaches, the electoral atmosphere in Bara Constituency No. 4 has intensified significantly. The war of words between competing candidates has now crossed the boundaries of personal and political criticism, taking the form of religious and communal slurs. In this context, Binaya Yadav, President of the Rashtriya Ekta Dal and a candidate for the House of Representatives from the same constituency, has leveled extremely serious and objectionable allegations against Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) candidate Rahbar Ansari.
Yadav's recent statement is being analyzed as increasing the risk of religious polarization in Bara-4. Labeling his rival Ansari as a 'Jihadi', Yadav claimed that he [Ansari] has returned after being trained by foreign Maulanas (Islamic clerics). Speaking to 'Nepal Aaj', Yadav made aggressive remarks against the RSP and its candidate Ansari, stating, "The party that kills cows has fielded a candidate who eats cows."
Local intellectuals have expressed concern that this statement by Yadav could disturb social harmony in Bara-4, which has a mixed settlement of a Hindu majority and a Muslim community. Yadav did not stop there; he even attacked the Rashtriya Swatantra Party's election symbol, the 'Bell' (Ghanti), offering a religious interpretation. Targeting the RSP's bell, he said, "This is not the bell of a temple; this is the bell of a Christian." This comment clearly indicates a strategy to make the RSP controversial from a religious standpoint.
There is widespread discussion and criticism in Bara-4 this time that most parties have fielded candidates from outside, labeling them 'Tourist Candidates'. As the issue of local candidates becomes complex, Yadav appears to be trying to polarize voters by playing the religious card. This region is considered extremely sensitive from a religious perspective, where tensions between Hindu and Muslim communities have arisen over minor issues in the past. In such a situation, provocative statements from responsible candidates have increased the danger of inviting unpleasant incidents at any time.
The full extent of the allegations made by Binaya Yadav against Rahbar Ansari and his statement can be watched in the video below:
Meanwhile, we attempted to contact Rashtriya Swatantra Party candidate Rahbar Ansari to get his reaction to the serious allegations made by Rashtriya Ekta Dal President Yadav and to understand his side. However, citing electoral busyness, Ansari refused to engage in any immediate dialogue or comment on this matter. Ansari's silence in the face of such grave allegations from a rival candidate is also being viewed as significant.