He asks all party workers to ‘become lalu’ if he is jailed
lalu Prasad’s Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) turned 20 on Wednesday. It is a sheer coincidence that the party was floated in 1997 when the party supremo was chargesheeted by the CBI and his arrest was imminent and now after 20 years once again lalu, accused in many cases of corruption, fears the threat of arrest. While addressing the foundation day programme, lalu had jail on his mind. He asked his cadres, “What if I am sent to jailIJ” and told them, “Each party worker has to become lalu.”
The RJD chief, flanked by both sons Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Prasad, said the BJP was trying to silence him and threatening to send to jail because he wanted to remove the BJP. The moral of the party workers should not affect even if he is jailed and the proposed BJP bhagao rally on August 27 should be a grand success. “They want to remove lalu and I want to remove BJP. Now it is up to you how to accomplish our mission,” he said.
Addressing a function at RJD office, lalu advocated the greater Opposition unity to take on the BJP and said the saffron party-led Centre was imposing undeclared emergency and its fascist ideologies. He urged all the non-BJP parties to unite for a big battle. He said if SPand BSP leaders come on one platform, the BJP would be finished.
“Our party is more vocal against the BJP and raising the voices of the poor so attempts are being made to silence me. But we will not succumb to any pressure and continue our fight. This is an ideological battle and we will never compromise with our ideologies,” lalu thundered amid applause. Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad also alleged that the Centre is using all its machineries and agencies to harass just one family.
later, lalu was huddled with the leaders of his party to discuss the preparations for the August 27 rally to be held at Gandhi Maidan and for which invitations have been extended to leaders of all the regional parties in the country and the Congress and left parties.
RJD’s 21st foundation day was observed in a solemn atmosphere and there was no celebratory mood since the party supremo is once again caught in corruption cases in one hand and CBI court has intensified its hearing in various fodder scam cases all of which have lalu as an accused. The Supreme Court has ordered to complete the hearing in nine-month time. lalu is already convicted in one of such cases and disqualified to contest election for six years.