Attempts being made to destroy harmony: Lalu in first address in 3 years

Speaking on the occasion of RJD’s 25th Foundation Day, he said that the country was grappling with an unprecedented price rise. “Unemployment has further added to the public’s misery. Fuel prices are at an all-time high,” he said

Patna: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday said attempts were on to stoke religious sentiments and destroy social harmony for the sake of power at a time the country was battling an economic crisis.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav. (File photo)

In his first public address in three years, Yadav also criticised Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, praised his son and Leader of Opposition in the assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, and recalled his fight for Other Backward Class (OBC) reservations.

“After Ayodhya, people (in power) are gearing up to take up the Mathura temple issue and spoil the social balance. Do they want the nation to be destroyed?” he said at a function to mark 25 years of the RJD via video conferencing from Delhi.

He was referring to legal proceedings in a Mathura court, where Hindu groups have sought the removal of the Shahi Eidgah adjacent to the Sri Krishna temple complex in Mathura, and transfer of the 13.37-acre land to the temple deity, Bhagwan Sri Krishna Virajman.

The 73-year-old former chief minister of Bihar was released from jail in Ranchi in April this year after securing bail in the fodder scam. He faces corruption charges in five cases, which carry a maximum punishment of 7 years

He was arrested in May 2018, shortly after Kumar broke their alliance struck during the 2015 assembly polls but retained his chair as CM with support from the Bharatiya Janata Party.

In a largely restrained speech on Monday, Yadav accused the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government of corruption and patronising lawlessness.

“People (in power) are dishing out lies with confidence to hide the issues of governance. Lakhs of people died in the state for want of medical care during the pandemic. The situation would have been better had the government fulfilled its promise of providing 1.9 million jobs,” he said.

Recalling the formation of RJD in 1997, Prasad said people ridiculed him when he started Charwaha Vidyalaya for those unable to attend formal schooling. “My party ushered in a social revolution by empowering the deprived sections to caste their votes and ask for their share in power,” said the RJD chief.

He promised RJD workers and leaders that he will overcome whatever remained of the illness and visit Bihar soon. “I will come to Patna soon...not only Patna, I will mark my attendance in all districts of Bihar soon. Please don’t lose patience,” he said.

He praised his younger son Tejashwi for leading the RJD to becoming the largest party in the 2020 elections. “Frankly, I had never expected this from him. He safely anchored the RJD’s boat (naiya paar lagayi). RJD has a bright future,” Yadav said.

In the 243-member Bihar assembly, RJD has 75 seats and the ruling JD(U)-BJP alliance have 117. Yadav also appreciated his elder son, Tej Pratap. 

Tejashwi attacked Kumar’s administration. “Nothing moves in the government without corruption, and this government has no one who listens to the people’s grievances. Massive bungling of public exchequer was done in the name of Covid management,” he said.

Former health minister Tej Pratap said the party would continue to pursue the objective of social awakening. He, however, also aired his grievance against some senior party leaders that party workers’ bona fide demands were often overlooked within the organisation.

Prominent among those who attended the event were state party chief Jagadanand Singh, former minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, Shivanand Tiwari, national spokesperson Manoj Jha, Alok Kumar Mehta and Shyam Rajak. Former CM Rabri Devi also made an informal appearance from Delhi along with the RJD chief.