On the eve of the first phase of polling and soon after the Supreme Court turned down his bail plea, RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Wednesday made a fervent appeal to the people of Bihar, especially Dalits and Bahujans, from behind the bars not to lower their guard and stay united, forgetting minor glitches caused by compulsions of seat adjustment, in the big fight that could decide their destiny.
“Sitting in the Ranchi hospital, I think the destructive forces have succeed in scripting another conspiracy in Bihar by putting me behind bars. I am in prison, not my thoughts. I am sharing my thoughts with you all as that is how we can take on divisive forces and that will require everyone to be Lalu Yadav and fight like me, caring little for problems, fear, threat, temptation,” he wrote in a letter which was uploaded on his Facebook page.
The letter also has three picture attachments – one showing him in hospital bed with Tejashwi, another with wife Rabri Devi and third projecting his poor health.
“Everything is at stake this time – the country, society and Lalu, one who fought to give you all equality, ensure your rights and prestige,” the letter reads.
“It is fight to finish. The conspirators have put me in jail and my health is also not supporting due to growing age. But when it comes to pride and prestige of the downtrodden, Lalu’s defiance will always be there. This strength comes from my soldiers, who have remained firm, come what may,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}“It is fight to finish. The conspirators have put me in jail and my health is also not supporting due to growing age. But when it comes to pride and prestige of the downtrodden, Lalu’s defiance will always be there. This strength comes from my soldiers, who have remained firm, come what may,” he wrote.
{{/usCountry}}Equating the fight with Gandhi’s call of ‘Karo ya maro’ during Quit India Movement, Prasad wrote: “The present fight is against forces out to break India. It is a fight to protect the rights enshrined in the Constitution. The fight to chase away anti-Constitution and anti-reservation Narendra Modi calls for the passion of ‘karo ye maro’ to protect the rights and prestige of the downtrodden,” the letters reads.
It also refers to Rohit Bemula’s suicide. “You all know how atrocities against Dalits have increased and there were attempts to weaken the SC/ST atrocities act. Had the SC/ST people not protested on roads, your rights would have been completely usurped. Therefore, this is an election to recognize the government and the traitors and any lapse will pinch for the lifetime,” he says.
Urging people to stay united and fight for a common cause, the letter further says, “Forget small letdowns due to denial of tickets, as alliance politics requires a lot of adjustments... It is important for the people from the deprived sections to have stake in Delhi power centre,” he said.
“By offering reservation to upper caste poor without proper documents or trying to change the roaster system or making an attempt to change law, the enemy is weighing you strength this time. If some are playing up Lord Ram, others are creating a buzz around patriotism. This is a hypocritic government, which tells something and does something else. It talks of danger to the country and purchase of weapons, but in reality takes away money from your pocket to asks its friends to flee and enjoy,” he says.