LJP defends Lalu, slams Congress

Defending Lalu Prasad’s statement on Babri mosque demolition, RJD’s allies in Bihar Lok Janshakti Party chief Ram Vilas Paswan on Monday said nobody could challenge the fact what RJD leader had said.

What had he said, he asked? He had just said that when Babri mosque was demolished, there was P V Narsimha led Congress government was ruling at the Centre, Paswan told reporters in Patna before leaving for campaign.

Paswan further lashed out at Congress for unreasonably attacking him and Lalu, saying Congress has forgotten all the sacrifices that he and the RJD chief made for the party.

The Union Minister, who expressed his annoyance over putting up Congress’ candidate against him, said Lalu made his remarks in retaliation to the Congress president attacked Lalu at an election rally in Jamui accusing him of misgovernance during the RJD rule.

On April 17, the Union Railway Minister had said in Darbhange in Bihar that the Congress was responsible for Babri mosque demolition.

“The Congress, which was in power at the Centre, failed to protect the Babri Masjid as it did nothing to prevent it. Not only the BJP, the Congress is also equally responsible for the demolition of Babri Masjid in Ayodhya,” Lalu had said.

The attack and counter-attack did not last here; it continued on Monday. Slamming Bihar Congress president Anil Kumar Sharma’s demand for his removal from the Union Cabinet for his continued assault on the party, the RJD leader said he was in the government owing to people’s mandate.

“Am I there in the ministry at Congress' favour? I am there as I have got the people's mandate,” Lalu retorted.

Sharma had also accused Lalu of suspending the Bhagalpur riots commission, constituted by the Congress, during his party’s ruling from 1990 to 2005. He also demanded an inquiry by the Bhagalpur riots commission into the matter.

The differences between Congress and the RJD-LJP coalition came on to the surface ensuing elections after the latter two felt their Muslim vote bank was slipping from their hands after the former decided to contest polls on all the 40 seats in Bihar alone.

Congress had decided to fight in Bihar all of its own after the RJD and LJP unilaterally distributed the 40 seats between them, leaving just three for Congress.