Gloom descended on Rabri Devi’s official residence, 10, Circular Road, the moment the designated CBI court in Ranchi sentenced the RJD chief to five years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Thursday.
Grieving behind the closed doors of the sprawling residence, the family refused to oblige a huge congregation of mediapersons outside the gate for their first reaction. Soon after the CBI judge pronounced the punishment, Rabri Devi went to the first floor of the house and shut herself inside her room.
Though their elder son, Tej Pratap, was seen chatting with members of the youth brigade of the RJD inside the residence, but he too did not oblige the media. “You know what the family has been passing through…please don’t disturb,” said some security staff outside the iron gate adorned with a huge replica of a lantern — the election symbol of the RJD.
“Chaliye..chaliye..udhar mat jaiye..udhar mat dekhiye.” the security men kept screaming while mediapersons continued trying to get inside the gate for some reactions from the family.
However, party leader and Rajya Sabha member Ram Kripal Yadav emerged from the residence to tell the media that lalu Prasad has become victim of political conspiracy and they would take the struggle to the people’s court.
“All the political forces have united against our leader. We know he has become victim of political conspiracy but we’ll take this injustice to the court of people who will give them befitting reply,” said Ram Kripal Yadav.
“We were expecting this ... We are not demoralised,” the RJD Rajya Sabha member said blaming Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and BJP for ‘conspiring’ against the RJD chief in the fodder scam. He also quoted Rabri Devi as saying, “lalu Prasad is a hero and will remain a hero in future too”
later, Rabri Devi while speaking to PTI expressed ‘deep pain’ over the CBI court judgement. “It is not court judgement but a political judgement aimed at helping Nitish Kumar,” she said and expressed lack of faith over the ‘impartiality’ of the judge who is related to JD(U) Minister PK Shahi, a petitioner in the case.
“That is why we had gone to Supreme Court but unfortunately our plea was not entertained,” she said. On the future of RJD without lalu Prasad, Rabri Devi said, “All talks of a successor is baseless. laluji will continue to lead the party.”
On chances of son Tejaswi Yadav taking over the reins of RJD, she said he would assume a post only if the party workers and people so desired. Asked to comment on the public perception that the Congress has dumped lalu Prasad and is now inclined towards Nitish Kumar, she said, “I do not know who is going where; we will go to peoples’ courtfor justice.”