News Analysis India

Tag: Lalu Prasad Yadav

  • Rahul Gandhi, Rajnath Singh visit Chirag Paswan on his father’s first death anniversary

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi visited LJP (Ram Vilas) leader Chirag Paswan on his father’s first death anniversary amid overtures by opposition parties to the Dalit leader to switch over to their camp.

    Senior BJP leaders and Union ministers Rajnath Singh and Mahendra Nath Pandey, RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury also met the young leader to pay their tributes to his father.

    Chirag Paswan said his father enjoyed excellent personal relations with politicians cutting across party lines, which was underlined by the presence of members of the ruling BJP-led NDA as well as opposition parties.

    Many other leaders including Congress president Sonia Gandhi and NCP chief Sharad Pawar sent their condolence message as well, he noted.

    He reiterated his party’s demand for Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian honour, for his father, who was part of several governments headed by rival alliances at different points of time.

    The young MP thanked the Modi dispensation for giving his father Padma Bhushan award.

    Gandhi visited Paswan’s Janpath residence, home to his father Ram Vilas Paswan for over three decades, and spent time with him and his family members as people paid homage to one of the tallest Dalit leaders who passed away last year.

    In a tweet Gandhi said, “Heartfelt tributes to Ram Vilas Paswan on his first death anniversary. Also met Lalu Prasad Yadav on the occasion. Was happy to see him in good health.”

    Gandhi’s visit to the LJP leader comes amid a growing distance between him and the BJP after the ruling party dumped him for another LJP faction, now given the name Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party, headed by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras, a Union minister.

    Opposition leaders in Bihar, including RJD president Yadav and his son Tejashwi Yadav, have been urging Chirag Paswan to switch over to their camp.

    Sources, however, added that not much should be read into Gandhi’s visit to Paswan’s residence as he had invited leaders of various parties.

    At a commemoration event he had held in Patna last month, leaders from various parties, including the BJP and the RJD, were in attendance.

    Chirag Paswan has, however, kept his cards close to chest, stressing that his immediate priority is to build his party.

    A trenchant critic of Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar, he has been less vocal in attacking the BJP and has, at times, even praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

  • BJP has tasted blood, got power by pitting Hindus against Muslims: Lalu Prasad Yadav

    By PTI

    PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Tuesday launched a vitriolic attack on the BJP, which he accused of pitting Hindus against Muslims (Ram aur Rahim ke bande), and likened it to a beast that has “tasted blood”.

    Addressing party workers here through video conferencing, Prasad, who has been in Delhi since his release from jail a few months ago, also expressed “strong condemnation” for the incidents in Lakhimpur Kheri district of BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, where a car allegedly belonging to son of a Union minister ploughed into a crowd of agitating farmers.

    The former Union minister, who had been an MP for many terms before getting barred from contesting elections in 2013, also lamented the lack of unity in the opposition and asserted that the BJP could be defeated if all parties opposed to it could keep their flock together.

    Prasad, who had to step down as the Bihar chief minister in 1997 because of the charge-sheet filed against him the fodder scam, also predicted an “early fall” of the Nitish Kumar government, which returned to power in the assembly elections last year.

    The outspoken OBC leader, a mascot of pro-Mandal politics, also expressed outrage over the Centre submitting before the Supreme Court that it would not be able to enumerate the numerically powerful social group despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi having hinted otherwise during a meeting with an all-party delegation from Bihar, headed by Kumar and including Prasad’s son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav.

    He claimed that the BJP has looked down upon affirmative action and declared, “We will fight and see to it that caste census is undertaken and policies are formulated taking population of different castes into account”.

    The septuagenarian also appeared to place a lid on the controversy triggered by the declamation of his elder son Tej Pratap Yadav that the RJD supremo was being “held captive in Delhi and prevented from visiting Bihar”, remarks which were seen as the mercurial leader’s outbursts aimed at his younger, but more powerful, sibling Tejashwi.

  • Lalu being held hostage in Delhi despite bail, alleges son Tej Pratap Yadav

    By ANI

    PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday alleged that his father and veteran leader Lalu Prasad Yadav has been held “hostage” in New Delhi despite getting bail earlier this year.

    While speaking at an event here, Tej Pratap said: “Despite getting bail months ago, my father is still being held hostage in New Delhi.”

    He further alleged that there are some people in the party who are “dreaming” of becoming the chief of RJD.

    “I spoke to my father and asked him to stay with me in Patna and look after the organisation of the party. When my father used to live in Patna, the main gate of our residence used to be open and he used to meet the common people in the outhouse.”

    “My father is unwell. There are 4-5 people in the party who are dreaming to become RJD’s national president. Do not need to name them as it is known to everyone. He was released nearly a year ago from jail but is still being held hostage,” he added.

    The comments come in the backdrop of a strained relationship between Tej Pratap and his younger brother Tejashwi.

    Earlier in August, Tejashwi had asked Tej Pratap Yadav to maintain “discipline”.

    The strain between the two top leaders has been evident after RJD students’ wing state president Akash Yadav was removed from his post. Akash Yadav is believed to be a close aide of Tej Pratap Yadav.

  • Is RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav being held hostage? ‘Yes’, alleges son Tej Pratap

    By ANI

    PATNA/NEW DELHI: Has RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav being held hostage? Yes, this has been alleged by none other than Lalu’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav.

    Tej Pratap Yadav on Saturday levelled this startling allegation while speaking at a workshop, organised by his newly formed the “Chhatra Janshakti Parishad” in Patna for promoting leadership qualities amongst the youths.

    As National President of Chhatra Janshakti Parishad, Tej Pratap Yadav on the record alleged that his father Lalu Prasad Yadav has been confined to Delhi by some 4-5 people, who dream of becoming the national president of RJD.

    The former health minister further alleged that everyone knows who are those 4-5 people, who have confined his father confined to Delhi. “Everyone knows who those people are, there is no use in taking names. It has been a long time since my father Lalu Yadav came out of jail. But my father has been kept confined in Delhi,” he bluntly alleged.

    He said that he had talked to his father asking him to come and live with him in Patna together. “When my father used to be here (Patna), the doors were kept open and he used to meet people in the outhouse. Now, some people have put ropes to public. Our father has been kept hostage in Delhi,” he allegedly said.

    Yadav’s allegation stirred the political circle of RJD and no leader of RJD agreed to speak anything on Tej Pratap Yadav’s statement.

    However, BJP spokesperson Dr Nikhil Anand has asked Tejashwi Yadav to come out with a clarification on the allegation levelled by Tej Pratap Yadav. “Actually,its a family matter of RJD , but we also want that Tejashwi Yadav should come out and clarify as how is Lalu Prasad ji and the allegation levelled by Tejpratap Yadav,” Dr Nikhil Anand said.

    JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar also said that the state government can act under rules if anyone lodges a complaint.

  • Caste census a must, let 50 per cent cap be broken if required: Lalu Prasad Yadav

    By PTI

    PATNA: Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad on Wednesday reiterated the demand for caste census and favoured “breaking” the 50 per cent ceiling on reservations if the population of SCs, STs and OBCs was found to be more than half of the total.

    Prasad, who has been convalescing in Delhi after his release from jail earlier this year, made the remarks while addressing a training camp of his party workers organised here to which he got connected online.

    “I was the first one to raise the demand for caste census. I had made the demand on the floor of the Parliament,” said the multiple-term former MP and the railway minister in the UPA-1 government.

    The former Bihar chief minister, who has ended up spending a long time behind bars following his conviction in fodder scam cases, said “my demand is for the welfare of all, SCs and STs included. Quotas have been decided taking into account a census conducted before Independence. We must have a fresh estimate of the population of different social segments”.

    “The existing quotas have been insufficient. And even these are rarely filled, resulting in huge backlogs. Let there be a fresh caste census and all get quotas in proportion to their population. If it needs breaking of the 50 per cent barrier, so be it,” said Prasad, who owes his rise in politics to the Mandal churn of the 1990s.

    Prasad’s younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of the opposition in state assembly, had recently met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to broach the issue of caste census as part of a delegation headed by Chief Minister Nitish Kumar – an arch rival of the RJD supremo.

    The Centre’s contention that only enumeration of SCs and STs was proposed has triggered demands that the same be done for OBCs as well.

    A cap of 50 per cent on quotas has been fixed by an order of the Supreme Court.

    Prasad, who is in his late 70s and suffers from multiple ailments, spoke for less than 30 minutes and the audience were left pining for his wit and repartee that had made him a legend in his heydays.

    He, nonetheless, sought to assure his foot soldiers that his health was improving and he will soon be in Bihar, touring all districts to energise the rank and file.

    He also expressed satisfaction over the generational change in his party and appeared impressed with the RJD’s electrifying campaign and performance in the assembly polls last year.

    “You all, under the leadership of Tejashwi, did very well in my absence. I am glad that we emerged as the single largest party, though we fell short of wresting power because of ‘beimaani’ (deceit),” said the wily leader alluding to allegations that the final result was tilted in favour of the ruling NDA – which got a slender majority – by pliant officials posted in constituencies where the contest was tight.

    Prasad also gave a thumbs up to his “disciplinarian” state unit chief Jagadanand Singh, with whom his mercurial elder son Tej Pratap Yadav keeps picking up quarrels.

    A keen observer of politics, he candidly admitted the need for greater discipline in the party and asked workers to take a leaf out of the book of alliance partners like the Left and the Samajwadi Party in adjoining Uttar Pradesh.

    “Our polling agents are often found lax during elections. Such training camps should correct this defect. Look at our allies CPI and CPI(M) that keep holding such workshops. I would also suggest that all our members wrap a green ‘gamcha’ (thin towel) as a mark of identification. Look at the SP. All its workers wear a red cap,” said Prasad, who has been seen as, despite his immensely successful political career, a maverick guided more by instincts than clearly defined rules.

  • Arun Jaitley had given written assurance for caste-based census, claims Lalu Prasad Yadav

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Reiterating the demand of caste-based census, Rashtriya Janata Dal supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav on Wednesday claimed that BJP leader Arun Jaitley had given a written assurance on the matter.

    “When I was MP, other leaders like Mulayam Singh Yadav and Sharad Yadav along with me fought in Lok Sabha for a caste-based census. Arun Jaitley had given a written assurance earlier. We are very hopeful about it. It should be done to understand the population and economic status,” Yadav told ANI.

    On Monday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a meeting with the delegation of 10 parties led by Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in the national capital to discuss a caste-based census.

    Briefing media persons after the meeting, Nitish Kumar said, “The Prime Minister listened to all members of the delegation on caste census. We urged Prime Minister to take an appropriate decision on it. We briefed him on how resolutions have been passed twice in the state Assembly on caste census.”

    “Recently a minister from the central government gave a statement that the caste-based census will not be conducted. This made us anxious. Following this, all parties in Bihar including the Opposition met on the issue. It was then proposed to meet Prime Minister on the issue,” he added.

    The Bihar Chief Minister said it is Prime Minister who has to now take a call on the caste-based census.

    “People in Bihar and the entire country are of the same opinion on this issue. We are grateful to the PM for listening to us. Now, he has to take a decision on it,” Kumar told ANI.

    Leader of Opposition in Bihar Legislative Assembly and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav who was also a part of the delegation said, “Our delegation met the Prime Minister today not only for caste census in Bihar but in the entire country. We are awaiting a decision on this now.”

    However, the central government has so far refused to accede to the demand.On July 20, in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai had said: “The Government of India has decided as a matter of policy not to enumerate caste-wise populations other than SCs and STs in the census.”

    On March 10, 2021, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had clarified on caste-related details received from the Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) 2011 to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. In a reply, the Union Home Ministry said that raw caste data has been provided to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) for the classification and categorisation of the data.

    “The Office of the Registrar General, India had provided logistics and technical support in conducting the SECC-2011. The raw caste data has been provided to the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) for the classification and categorization of the data. As informed by MoSJE, there is no proposal to release the caste data at this stage,” the Home Ministry had said.

  • Caste census: RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav calls for boycott of national census

    Express News Service

    PATNA: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s call to boycott the National Census 2021 if the central governmen continues to refuse conducting the caste-based census, has now pushed the opposition’s demand for caste-based census towards becoming  a national political issue.

    Bihar’s principal opposition – RJD along with NDA’s three allies in Bihar – JDU, VIP and the HAM  is moving in a very calculated political way ahead the forthcoming Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls in order to make the caste-based census a national issue against the BJP.

    अगर 2021 जनगणना में जातियों की गणना नहीं होगी तो बिहार के अलावा देश के सभी पिछड़े-अतिपिछड़ों के साथ दलित और अल्पसंख्यक भी गणना का बहिष्कार कर सकते है।जनगणना के जिन आँकड़ों से देश की बहुसंख्यक आबादी का भला नहीं होता हो तो फिर जानवरों की गणना वाले आँकड़ों का क्या हम अचार डालेंगे?
    — Lalu Prasad Yadav (@laluprasadrjd) August 11, 2021
    Taking to official Twitter handle, Lalu Prasad Yadav has tweeted in Hindi: “If castes are not counted in the 2021 Census, apart from Bihar, minorities along with all the backward, EBC communities of the country can boycott the Census.”

    Lalu’s call to boycott the census, made to the people of SC (16 per cent), OBCs (nearly 50 per cent), the minority (17 per cent) and EBCs, has sent the BJP think-tank in Bihar into a deep thought over chalking out the ways to downplay Lalu’s call.

    Lalu Prasad Yadav, who is still the most-heard leader in opposition in the public, continued questioning the utility of census if it does not benefit the people in majority in population. “If the data of Census does not benefit the majority of people of population, then what will we do with the Census of animal count,” Lalu tweeted.

    In Bihar, demand for caste-based census has widened the rift between ruling JDU and the BJP to such an extent that hardly a day passes off without any leader either from JDU and the BJP making statement in support of and against the issue.

    “The support of opposition, led by RJD, has given a major twist to this demand and Lalu Prasad Yadav, who has recently met many leaders of opposition like Sharad Pawar, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sharad Yadav and Om Prakash Chutala, has made the caste census a potential issue against the BJP,” said many political observers including Dr RK Verma in Patna.

    “If this issue is fanned across UP and other poll-bund states and BJP suffers in electoral politics, the same issue will be against the BJP in 2024 LS election to oust Narendra Modi,” they added.

    Recently, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar had already made it clear that his party will not compromise in an alliance w.r.t this issue at all. “The demand for caste-based census has no political connection. It pertains to a social concern. If it is conducted even once in the country, it will benefit everyone,” Nitish Kumar had said recently.

    A letter seeking an appointment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also been sent to the PMO by Nitish Kumar to meet him with a delegation over the caste-based census. However, Kumar has got no reply from the PMO over the letter sent with the suggestion of opposition in Bihar.

    Kumar had cited that the Bihar Assembly has passed two resolutions in support of caste-based census and communicated about it to the Centre in 2019 and 2020. Leader of opposition Tejashwi Yadav had also added a new political vigour saying that if trees, animals, vehicles and SC/ST people can be counted, why not the OBC people.

    Many political experts believe that the BJP has fallen in a dilemma having refused to conduct the caste-based census and finding no way to silence the opposition and hence, making the issue as a major national issue.

    In national political scenario, even BSP supremo Mayawati has also said that if the BJP takes any creative approach on the issue, her party will be in support of that

    Meanwhile, some reliable sources from opposition side said that the entire opposition is being polarised to come together over the caste census, the new population policy and the Pegasus scandal against BJP ahead of UP polls.

    “If we succeed in damaging the BJP over all these issues in Uttar Pradesh polls, on power can help Narendra Modi to continue in power after 2024 LS elections. We are getting polarised,” said a reliable opposition source.

  • Fodder scam: Lalu Yadav’s counsel demands physical hearing in case instead of virtual hearing

    Express News Service

    RANCHI: Lawyers defending RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav in the Fodder Scam have filed a petition in the Special CBI Court demanding that the hearing be done in the physical court rather than the ongoing virtual court due to the lockdown.

    “Citing difficulties in putting their points in virtual mode, lawyers engaged by Lalu Yadav have filed a petition in the Special CBI Court of S.K.Shashi demanding that the hearing may be done in physical mode rather than doing it in virtual mode,” CBI advocate BMP Singh was quoted as saying.

    The prosecution has been asked to file a rejoinder by August 11, the next date of hearing, he added.

    Notably, Lalu Prasad so far has been convicted in four out of the five cases related to multi-crore fodder scam cases related to Chaibasa Treasury (RC20A/96) on September 30, 2013, another Chaibasa Treasury (RC68A/96) on January 24, 2018, Deoghar Treasury (RC 64A/96) on February 23, 2018, and Dumka Treasury (RC38A/96) on February 1. Whereas, RC 47A/96, related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 139.35 crore from Doranda treasury in Ranchi, is still pending in a Special CBI Court in Ranchi.

    The number of accused persons, in this case, includes RJD chief Lalu Prasad, former parliamentarian Jagdish Sharma, Dr. R.K.Rana, the then chairman of the public accounts committee, Dhruv Bhagat and other officials of the animal husbandry department. Lalu Yadav is currently on bail in all four cases in which he was convicted by different CBI Courts in Ranchi.

  • Lalu Prasad meets Sharad Yadav in Delhi, backs LJP’S Chirag Paswan

    By PTI
    NEW DELIH: RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav met Sharad Yadav, who is recuperating from a long spell of illness, on Tuesday, and both leaders held talks for over an hour.

    The RJD leader told reporters later that the absence of socialists leaders like Sharad Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and himself had resulted in neglect of people-related issues in Parliament.

    He also backed LJP leader Chirag Paswan, who has been deserted by five MPs of his party led by his uncle Pashupati Kuma Paras, saying that the young parliamentarian has emerged as leader despite the feud.

    People have rallied around him, the former Bihar chief minister said, while favouring an alliance between the LJP leader and his party which is being now led for all practical purposes by his son Tejashwi Yadav.

    The RJD chief was accompanied by party MPs Prem Chand Gupta and Misa Bharti.

    ALSO READ | Veteran leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh meet in Delhi

  • Veteran leaders Lalu Prasad Yadav, Mulayam Singh meet in Delhi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav and Samajwadi Party (SP) patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav met here on Monday.

    SP president and Mulayam Singh Yadav’s son Akhilesh Yadav was also present in the meeting.

    In a tweet in Hindi, Lalu said, “Met the country’s senior most socialist friend Shri Mulayam Singhji and enquired about his wellbeing. We have common concerns and fight about farmers, inequality, the poor and the unemployed.”

    He also tweeted pictures of the meeting, and said, “Today, the country is in dire need of equality and socialism, not capitalism and communalism.”

    Akhilesh Yadav also tweeted pictures of the meeting.

    Sources in both parties said the meeting took place in the national capital.

    Earlier in the day, Akhilesh Yadav attended Lok Sabha proceedings.