BJP targets Lalu over 'insult' to Yadav leaders

Patna: The Bharatiya Janata Party has said that former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad and his family do not want any Yadav leader to emerge and evolve in the state.

"Lalu Prasad's family does not want any Yadav leader in opposition parties to emerge in Bihar. Hence, whenever Yadav leaders want to establish their identity, Lalu Prasad and his family jumped on them in a bid to assassinate their character. Tejashwi is doing the same. He should apologize publicly," spokesperson of Bihar BJP unit Nikhil Anand said.

His remarks came after Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and Lalu's son Tejashwi Yadav levelled what the BJP has termed as "sensational allegation" on the saffron party leader and Bihar cabinet Minister Ram Surat Rai, who belongs to the Yadav community.

Tejashwi, Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, on Thursday attacked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying that 'the real liquor mafia of Bihar was the Chief Minister himself'.

While interacting with the media personnel in Patna at a press conference, Tejashwi also levelled serious allegations against state Cabinet Minister Ram Surat Rai. "He should be terminated from the post of land and record minister with immediate effect," Tejashwi said.

"A huge cache of liquor was recovered from the school of Ram Surat Rai in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday. He is the founder of this school and an FIR has been registered against his brother Hansraj Rai," Tejashwi said.

"The school is meant to educate children. What kind of education is being given in that school? Why is Nitish Kumar not terminating him?" asked Tejashwi.

"Nitish Kumar is a tired, weak and helpless CM in our country. His government is unable to prevent liquor smuggling in Bihar. As per the data, the Bihar Police admitted that 64 lakh litres of liquor have been seized since the liquor ban was imposed in Bihar in April 2016," Tejashwi said.

Responding to this, Anand said: "Before accusing Ram Surat Rai, we want to ask Lalu Prasad who is Arjun Rai (father of Ram Surat Rai), and what was his character? There is not a single black spot in the last seven generations of the Ram Surat Rai family," Anand Said.

"Anup Lal Yadav, Vinayak Yadav, Gajendra Prasad Himanshu, Devendra Yadav and several other Yadav leaders were not allowed to grow politically by Lalu Prasad and his family," Anand said.