17 Nov : Bihar CM Nitish Kumar charged Railway Minister Lalu Prasad with "digressing" from the main issue of fighting unitedly against divisive forces like the MNS, saying he had raised the bogey of resignations by all MPs and MLAs to gain "cheap popularity".
On Lalu Prasad, also RJD president, giving 10 days’ time to him to think about the enmasse resignations of the MPs and legislators from Bihar, Kumar said, "I have already replied to his letter and do not have time to think about what he says to media each and everyday."
Referring to Prasad’s statement that he was prepared to leave the throne of " Hastinapur (UPA government)", while Nitish was not ready to abdicate the post of "Pataliputra (Bihar)", Kumar said, "let the election come and people would not only throw him out of the Hastinapur but would pack him off even from Bihar."
On Prasad’s criticism on him for remaining in the BJP-led NDA of which Shiv Sena was also a constituent, Kumar said his party JD(U) had no direct relations with the Shiv Sena and added that BJP JD(U) government was functioning well in the state and was adhering to the common minimum programme (CMP).
"I do not require any certificate on secularism from Lalu Prasad who had closed the cases of Bhaglpur riots that had claimed over 1000 lives," Kumar told reporters after listening to the grievances of the people at his Janata Ddarbar in Patna on Monday.
The Chief Minister claimed his government’s achievement on communal front was crystal clear as not a single incident of communal violence had been reported ever since the NDA took the reins of the state three years back.
"My government ensured payment of Rs 2,500 as pension to the family members of Bhaglpur riot victims and returned the non-movable properties which they had sold at throwaway prices under duress," Kumar said, adding that Lalu Prasad has no right to give sermons on secularism as he had protected the culprits.
Kumar said, "though I respect Lalu Prasad as an elder brother, he has now become a fused bulb and a fused bulb can not give light despite energy being supplied to it."
He said, "the only motive of his elder brother (Lalu Prasad) was to throw him out of the one Anne Marg (CM’s bungalow) by demanding resignation of all MLAs that would lead to imposition of President’s rule in the state."