Lalu Prasad Yadav blames PM Modi for BJP MPs' bad behaviour

Lalu Prasad Yadav. Pic/PTI

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of giving rise to a "depraved social and political culture" which was manifest in the behaviour of BJP parliamentarians, reported news agency PTI.

The former Bihar chief minister, who was also a member of the Manmohan Singh cabinet, came out with the statement in Hindi in the social media.

"The Prime Minister has given rise to a depraved (vikrit) social and political culture in which one of his MPs glorifies the terrorist who assassinated Father of Nation Gandhi ji," he wrote without taking any names.

The allusion was apparently to Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur, who had called Nathu Ram Godse a "patriot", only to retract later under mounting public criticism.

Prasad, who is a key figure in the opposition I-N-D-I-A coalition, alleged "A BJP MP, (apparently) under instructions of the PM, made inappropriate, petty and unparliamentary remarks against an opposition MP. This is objectionable, deplorable and a cause of concern for society and democracy. Truly, this is not Amrit Kaal but Vish Kaal (the era of venom)".

Although the veteran politician again took no names, it was an obvious reference to Rajya Sabha address of BJP parliamentarian Ramesh Bidhuri whose religion slur against BSP MP Danish Ali was expunged.

Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi on Friday issued summons to former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar's Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and others accused in relation to a fresh chargesheet in alleged Land for Job Scam case, reported news agency ANI.

The Special Judge Geetanjali Goel took cognizance of a fresh chargesheet filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and issued summons against all accused.

According to the CBI, this is the second chargesheet in the designated court against 17 accused including the then Union Minister of Railways, his wife, son, then GM of West Central Railways(WCR), then two CPOs of WCR, private persons, private company, etc. in a case related to Land for Job Scam.

Recently, the CBI has filed a chargesheet in the alleged Land for Job scam case against Lalu Prasad Yadav including his son Tejashwi Yadav and others.

CBI had registered a case on May 18, 2022, against Lalu Yadav and others including his wife, two daughters, unknown Public servants and private persons.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)