Friday’s searches by the CBI on premises belonging to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and his kin have come at the most opportune time for the BJP, which is looking to discredit him before he launches his mega ‘BJP Bhagao Rally’ in Patna on August 27. For Bihar leader Sushil Kumar Modi, this is the perfect time to corner his one-time ally, Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) President Nitish Kumar, who is Lalu’s ally in the State government. Modi spoke to BusinessLine about the prevailing political climate in the State. Excerpts:
Lalu has cited political vendetta as the prime reason for these raids.
In 2008, it was his present ally, the Janata Dal (United), and its leaders Lallan Singh and Shivanand Tiwari who had held a press conference to expose the various shady land deals struck by Lalu Prasad. They had cited different details that have once again surfaced in the FIR filed by the CBI pertaining to IPC Section 420 read with 120 B of the CrPc and the Prevention of Corruption Act. The two accused mentioned in the FIR – Vijay and Vinay Kochar – were also named by the JD(U) leaders at the time.
Subsequently, Lallan Singh and Sharad Yadav met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and submitted a memorandum demanding action against Lalu. But the Congress refused to act against Lalu. What the JDU) had then said – that when Lalu was Rail Minister, two hotels were transferred to the IRCTC. For maintenance, they were to be leased to private companies. The tenders were awarded to Sujata Hotels Pvt Ltd. There were wrongdoings in tender allotment and private companies were favoured. Lalu was given land in return for these contracts. Delight Marketing Company was given land and Sarla Gupa, wife of Lalu’s aide Prem Chand Gupta, was in charge of this. In 2010-14, this land was transferred to LARA Projects.
These were details highlighted by the JD(U). The BJP had nothing to do with it then and it has nothing to do with it now. But, of course, we will highlight corruption when it becomes so transparent. I too have been raising this issue because facts have been substantiated. Was it not political vendetta when the JD(U) raised it?
So far as Lalu Yadav is concerned, he used to level the same allegations when he was caught in the fodder scam.
It seems everyone who stands with Lalu in his mega rally would now be labelled corrupt. Isn’t that exactly what the BJP wanted to achieve?
The Congress talks about an ideological fight when they contest Presidential elections. They talk about secularism when they gather their allies and fight against the BJP. But how long would corruption be disguised as secularism and ideological fight? And let me ask you, how is a socialist, a fighter on behalf of the poor, amassing such huge assets, benami properties? How is all this justified in the name of ideology? What is being termed a ‘BJP Bhagao Rally’ is actually a ‘Lalu Bachao Rally’.
You haven’t said much about Nitish Kumar’s position on this. Is the BJP treating him with kid gloves because it wants him to return to the NDA?
We have no role to play in the direction Nitish Kumar takes in his political career. But why is the same Nitish, who used to say that he will not let corruption thrive in Bihar, that he would cleanse the politics here, silent? What action has he taken against Lalu’s sons, who are both Ministers in his Cabinet? For someone who talks about ethics and takes the high moral high ground, isn’t it ironical that he still silently suffers those whose properties have been attached, who are being raided by the CBI?
Would you welcome Nitish Kumar back into the NDA?
It is for the BJP’s parliamentary board and the leadership to decide on such matters. But I think it will be very difficult for Nitish to continue to hang on to an alliance that includes a very corrupt Lalu. We hope he will take action against Lalu’s sons. The BJP will wait and watch what he does next.