Lalu warns Modi govt: ‘Ukhaad ke phek denge’

Days after chargesheet, he asks PM: What will happen to you when you are not in power?

Narendra Modi, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Modi govt, Modi government, Indian Express, India news, current affairs

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad addresses party workers during celebrations of the 27th foundation day of RJD, in Patna, Wednesday, July 5, 2023. (PTI Photo)

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Days after the CBI lodged chargesheets against RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his family members, the former Bihar chief minister Wednesday told Prime Minister Narendra Modi to think of what would befall him once he loses power and declared that the Opposition would “uproot” his government.

Speaking at the 26th Foundation Day celebrations of the Rashtriya Janata Dal, Lalu took on the BJP for “lodging cases against anyone at will”, without directly referring to the CBI chargesheet in the land-for-jobs case.

“Jispar chahta hai case karwa deta, mukadma karwa deta hai. Jyada anyay aur zulm thik nahi hai, zulm karne wala jyada thahra nahi hai. Case karo, mukadma karo… jahiya tu na rahi to te tohar ka hoi… (They get cases filed against anyone at will. Excess of injustice and torture is not good and such perpetrators do not rule for long. What will happen to you when you are not in power?)”

The RJD chief asked party workers to prepare for elections. “Leaders of 17 parties gathered at Nitish Kumar’s residence [leaders of 15 parties had met]. We are soon meeting in Bengaluru. Ukhaad ke phenk denge (we will uproot your government) Narendra Modi,” said Lalu to cheers from party workers.

Explained

Lalu’s presence at the RJD Foundation Day holds importance, especially as his son and Deputy CM Tejashwi Prasad Yadav has been away and there have been apprehensions in the family and party over what could happen next in the land-for-jobs case. Lalu has become politically active again after his successful kidney transplant early this year. While he had attended a February 25 Purnia rally virtually, he attended the June 23 meet of Opposition parties and Wednesday’s function in person — an attempt to boost morale.

The RJD chief also recalled how his party had been formed in 1997 under difficult conditions when he had been facing cases. “But we weathered the challenges and RJD rose from strength to strength… There is a need for us to stand united when there have been attempts to disturb communal harmony and break the society. There has also been an attempt to fiddle with the Constitution made by BR Ambedkar,” said Lalu.

RJD state president Jagdanand Singh and the party’s national vice president Shivanand Tiwari were among other prominent leaders who attended the party’s Foundation Day celebration.

Santosh Singh

Santosh Singh is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express since June 2008. He covers Bihar with main focus on politics, society and governance. Investigative and explanatory stories are also his forte. Singh has 25 years of experience in print journalism covering Bihar, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. ... Read More

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