News Analysis India

Tag: RJD

  • RJD to collect data on unreported Covid deaths in Bihar

    Express News Service
    PATNA: Bihar’s principal opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) has decided to play the role of a whistle-blower on the unreported cases of Covid-19 deaths in the state.

    At a meeting held in Patna on Tuesday, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav called upon all the active workers of his party to collect data on deaths and sick people from every district, block and panchayat across the state and report them to the party headquarters. As per a rough estimate, there are more than 2 lakh active RJD workers in Bihar.

    Tejashwi Yadav also accused the Nitish Kumar government of gaining accolades with the help of fake statistics on vaccination and deaths and defrauding people. He accused the government of hiding data on deaths and presenting unbelievable figures on vaccination.

    As Yadav asked people of the state and his party cadre to keep a close watch on the government’s work during the Covid-19 pandemic, he also urged them to get vaccinated ahead of a possible third wave.

    RJD has been running ‘Lalu Kitchens’ in districts aimed at providing free food to poor people.

    Ahead of the meeting, BJP and the JD (U) attacked Tejashwi Yadav for not getting vaccinated yet. The opposition leader had earlier declared that he would get the jab only after 70 percent of the state’s population is vaccinated.

    BJP state spokesperson Dr. Ram Sagar Singh said that Tejashwi Yadav probably has an apprehension that his sexual ability will be affected after taking the vaccine. “He should trust the scientists of the country and abroad. Research has proved that the vaccine has no side-effects,” Singh said.

    He should first take the vaccine and motivate the workers, the BJP spokesperson said.

    When asked about Singh’s comment, Tejashwi Yadav said that the filthy statement exposed the mentality of BJP. “What can be expected from people of indecent mentality? We take his abusive language as a blessing,” he responded.

    Tejashwi Yadav also alleged that not a single operation for black fungus was being done at Nalanda Medical College & Hospital or Patna Medical College & Hospital.

    “There is also a shortage of black fungus medicines and a lack of coordination in the NDA alliance,” Tejashwi Yadav said.

  • Congress should be fulcrum of any national coalition against NDA: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Congress is a national party with a pan-India presence and it is quite natural that it should be the fulcrum of any national coalition against the BJP-led NDA, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Sunday.

    In an interview with PTI, he also said that the Congress is in a direct fight with the BJP on more than 200 Lok Sabha seats and should focus on them while allowing regional parties to be in the driver’s seat in the other constituencies.

    Asked about the meeting of Opposition leaders and several civil society members at Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Shared Pawar’s house here last week, the RJD leader said he was not aware what transpired in the meeting.

    However, the former Bihar deputy chief minister asserted that definitely all like-minded parties should come together with a common minimum programme to defeat “this most oppressive, divisive, authoritarian and fascist government”.

    “Our leader Lalu (Yadav) Ji had forewarned in the run up to 2014 election- ‘Ye chunaw tay karega ki desh tootega ya bachega (this election will decide whether the country will remain or be divided)’, and I think most of the parties and citizens of our country have realised this today like never before,” Yadav said.

    On the Congress not having a presence at the meeting and whether the grand old party should be part of a national alliance to take on the BJP, he said the Congress is a national party with a pan-India presence and quite naturally it “should be the fulcrum of any national coalition against the BJP-led NDA”.

    The Congress is in direct fight with BJP on more than 200 seats, not the regional parties, Yadav said.

    “From past experiences, I think the Congress must focus on those seats wherein it is in direct fight with the BJP and on remaining seats with an open heart and mind it should let regional parties be in the driving seat in their respective strongholds to root out the BJP,” he argued.

    His remarks assume significance as they come just days after Pawar said the Congress will need to be taken along if any alternative alliance is to be formed.

    Significantly, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday had also said that work is on to bring all opposition parties together at the national level, and this alliance will be incomplete without the Congress.

    He had said that the Congress will play an important role in the alliance that aims to provide a strong alternative to the present dispensation.

    NCP chief Pawar on Friday had claimed that formation of any national alliance was not the topic of discussion at the meeting of eight opposition parties hosted by him, but also said that if any such coalition emerges, its leadership will have to be “collective”.

    He had told reporters that the aim of the meeting at his Delhi residence last Tuesday was to discuss how they can support the ongoing farmers’ agitation.

    Speculation was rife that the agenda of the meeting, where no Congress leader was present, was to discuss a possible alliance which could be an alternative to the BJP.

    Asked what would be the form of any future alliance against the BJP and what would be the Congress’s place in it, Pawar had said, “There was no discussion on this, however, in my view the Congress will be needed to be taken along if any alternative alliance is to be formed.”

  • RJD to celebrate Ram Vilas Paswan’s birth anniversary; experts call it political move to ‘woo’ Chirag

    Express News Service
    PATNA: A new twist in Bihar’s politics is expected to brew ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections as the state’s principal opposition party, RJD, is leaving no stone unturned to polarise the opposition against the NDA.

    Experts believe, RJD’s decision to celebrate the birth anniversary of LJP founder and former union minister (late) Ram Vilas Paswan on the same day as RJD’s foundation day, July 5, can have a far fetched impact on Bihar’s politics.

    RJD’s decision has assumed more political significane now as Chirag Paswan, son of (late) Ram Vilas Paswan, has been left alone after a leadership coup in LJP, headed by his own uncle, removed him as the party president.

    RJD celebrates its foundation day with much fanfare every year on July 5. This year, the party will start the day by offering floral tributes to Ram Vilas Paswan.

    Political experts see this exercise by RJD leaders as an attempt to bring Chirag Paswan to their camp. Chirag’s faction of the LJP is being offered full support from the RJD and other parties in opposition.

    According to sources, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav wants Chirag Paswan on his side so that it reaps some benefits during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and 2025 Assembly elections. Infact, prior to this, Tejashwi had offered Chiarg to work with him if the latter was ready to follow ideologies of BR Ambedkar.

    A new political equation among the oppostion parties can cause major problem for the BJP in their schedule caste vote-bank.

    RJD spokesperson Chitranjan Gagan said “It’s not a political move if the RJD wants to pay tributes on the birth anniversary of a great socialist leader like Ram Vilas Paswan.”

    Son in-law of Ram Vilas Paswan, Anil K Sadhu, who is a RJD leader, welcomed the party’s decision.

    “It is great that on July 5, RJD has announced to celebrate the birth anniversary of Bahujan Mahanayak and the messiah of Dalits (late) Ram Vilas Paswan ji. Thanks RJD President Lalu Prasad Yadav and Tejashwi Yadav ji for this announcement”, Sadhu wrote on social media.

    Chirag Paswan has also decided to take out a state-wide ‘ashirvad yatra’ in Hajipur to propogate the socialist beliefs of his late father on July 5.

    According to political experts, the longer BJP remais silent over the recent political coup in LJP, the bigger loss it would have in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Meanwhile, sources from Mahagatbandhan said that Chirag Paswan is continuously in talks with Tejashwi Yadav after the revolt against him in LJP.

  • LJD split means Chirag Paswan to join forces with Tejashwi Yadav?

    Express News Service
    PATNA: In the wake of a spilt in Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) as a result of a feud in Paswan family, politics in Bihar is likely to get a new equation. The parties aligned with the opposition Mahagathbandhan are learnt to have started making efforts to bring Chirag Paswan- son of LJP founder (Late) Ram Vilas Paswan to their fold silently eyeing at the strong 6% vote bank of his party.

    Such a move would be possible when Chirag Paswan, is left fending for himself by the NDA allies post a leadership coup by his own uncle and Hajipur MP Pashupati Kumar Paras. Reliable sources said that a new equation can be developed with the joining of Chirag Paswan-led faction of LJP in Bihar to oust the NDA from office.

    “This might be RJD’s equation of MYP — Muslim, Yadav and Paswan — created against NDA. And if this political initiative succeeds, it could prove to be very damaging to the NDA”, said local political analysts.

    “Certainly, efforts are being taken for the emergence of a new equation-MYP, which will prove hard to handle for the NDA as Muslim constitutes 17 % of electoral strength of state followed by 16 by Yadav and 6 % by Paswan”, observed political observer Arun Kumar Pandey.

    More than 25 lakhs votes were polled to the LJP in the 2020 assembly elections under the leadership of Chirag Paswan securing 6% votes. The speculation for the emergence of new MY-P equation is rife in the political circles of both NDA and the Mahagathbandhan. 

    Observers think the current situation gives Chirag Paswan the option of being a part of opposition politics now, which will help him ahead in the elections. “If NDA government collapse and mid-term elections become unavoidable, the MY-P equation, subject to its formation depending upon future political alignments, will have a major edge over the NDA”, said AK Mishra, another political analyst.

  • Opposition attacks CM Nitish Kumar for Bihar Covid death tally anomalies

    Express News Service
    PATNA:  Inconsistency in the reporting of deaths due to Covid-19 in Bihar has become ammunition for the Opposition to attack the NDA government with. After a recount, it was found that 3,951 deaths were not mentioned in earlier reports. These have now been added to the official tally.

    Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav of RJD and Congress spokespersons trained their guns at the government, saying that the actual death tally is still not in public domain. Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Yadav said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his government are lying. “Nitish ji, do not lie so much that you end up getting buried under the heap of lies,” he tweeted.

    Yadav alleged that the state government has been concealing the real number of deaths. “The number of deaths is 20 times higher than what this government is saying. If the Nitish government is fake, its statistics will also be fake,” he said in another tweet.

    Congress leader Dr Madan Mohan Jha also alleged that more deaths from Covid-19 have occurred, which are not mentioned in the official count. Sources in the medical fraternity said a huge number of deaths took place in private hospitals and on way to hospitals in rural areas. These were not reported in the official count. Additional Chief Secretary Pratyay Amrit had said on Wednesday action would be taken against the responsible.

  • ED arrests RJD MP Amarendra Dhari Singh in money laundering case linked to fertiliser ‘scam’

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested RJD MP Amarendra Dhari Singh in connection with a money laundering case linked to an alleged fertiliser scam and payment of kickbacks to the tune of Rs 685 crore, officials said on Thursday.

    The 61-year-old Rajya Sabha member and businessman was arrested under sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) from his residence in the Defence Colony area here on Wednesday night, the officials said.

    A search was also carried out at his premises and the agency alleged that as he “deliberately evaded replies and was absolutely uncooperative”, he was arrested.

    He was sent to 10 days ED custody by the court of special judge Dig Vinay Singh and he will now again be produced before it on June 13.

    The case relates to alleged illegal commissions worth over Rs 685 crore allegedly given to the NRI sons of IFFCO Managing Director and CEO U S Awasthi and Indian Potash Ltd (IPL) Managing Director P S Gahlaut as well as others by overseas suppliers from 2007-14.

    This was done through transactions facilitated by AgustaWestland VVIP choppers deal case accused Rajiv Saxena, officials said.

    Dhari, who was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the Bihar-based party in March last year, is stated to be the senior vice president of a Dubai-based firm, Jyoti Trading Corporation, involved in the case, officials said.

    The ED case was filed after officials studied an FIR from the Central Bureau of Investigation, which raided at least a dozen locations last month in the matter.

    The ED claimed that during the “commissioning of this crime, sham consultancy agreements were made as also fake invoices for consultancy services, without providing any such services and thus commission was received from group companies of Saxena without any genuine transaction and that money was actually illegal commission generated out of import of fertilisers and raw material.”

    It claimed that the MP “acted as an intermediary along with other accused for channelising the ill-gotten money through different companies”.

    The agency said some firms allegedly linked to the MP like Lake Village Assets Corp and Summerpark Cor. are under its scanner.

    While the defence counsel, during the court hearing, said the MP was suffering from lymphatic cancer and has to regularly travel to the US for treatment, the court said that cases filed under the PMLA are “indeed serious economic offences” and the arrest is “justified” as the accused can tamper with the evidence, more so, when he is an “influential person”.

    “The apprehension of investigating agency as to tampering with the evidence and incomplete investigation without custodial interrogation of accused, cannot be said to be unfounded in the present facts and circumstances,” the court said in its order.

    The CBI alleged that commissions were received in this case from suppliers of fertilisers and raw materials using a complex web of transactions.

    The sham transactions were facilitated through circuitous routes in the garb of consultancy agreements to hide commissions paid to Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) CEO Awasthi, and Indian Potash head Gahlaut, who allegedly imported fertilisers and raw materials at inflated rates, the CBI said.

    The modus operandi was similar to the one used to send bribes in the AgustaWestland choppers alleged kickbacks case in which Saxena is under investigation.

    “Saxena’s role in a number of such deals is being probed by the CBI and the ED,” an official source said.

    IFFCO is a multi-state farmers’ cooperative while IPL is its company involved in supplying fertilisers for which the government provides subsidies to keep rates affordable for farmers.

    The CBI alleged that between 2007-14, in order to claim higher subsidies, Awasthi and Gahlaut as part of a “criminal conspiracy” imported fertilisers at highly inflated rates.

    This included their commissions from various overseas suppliers.

    The commission amounts were siphoned out of India through their sons based in the US and other accused persons, including the owners of Jyoti Trading Corporation and the Rare Earth Group, Pankaj Jain who is linked to both companies, his brother Sanjay Jain as well as Dhari and Saxena, the CBI said in the FIR.

    It went on to say that Saxena and his associates received USD 114.32 million, around Rs 685 crore at a transaction rate Rs 60 per dollar, of illegal commission in the bank accounts of his group companies and in the individual accounts of Jain, Gahlaut’s son Vivek, Awasthi’s son Amol and as well as the RJD MP.

  • Sushil Modi report gets Lalu’s daughter Rohini Acharya’s Twitter account locked; Deepa Manjhi also joins tussle

    By Express News Service
    PATNA: Acting after being reported by BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi, the Twitter on Friday locked account of Rohini Acharaya, daughter of RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

    It was done after Rohini Acharaya’s series of tweets rebuking senior former deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi in reaction against his tweet asking Tejashwi Yadav on not take services of two MBBS sisters in running the Covid Care Centre.

    Modi had tweeted soon after Tejashwi Yadav announced about the 50-bed Covid Care Centre set up at his govt bunglow. “Tejashwi Yadav has two sisters MBBS doctors in his family. Why were their services not taken during the Corona infection times? If the RJD leadership has so seriousness and readiness to serve the poor, permission would have been first taken from the government to start the hospital and its standards would have been followed”. Modi had tweeted.

    Irked over this tweet of Modi, Rohini Acharya made a series of tweet targeting Sushil Kumar Modi using abusive language against Modi. Modi taking the not of Rohini’s language, reported to twitter.

    Modi on Friday confirmed through a tweet: “Twitter account of one of very vocal female members of Lalu’s family has been locked by Twitter for using abusive and derogatory language against me.”

    Later, Rohini took it to Facebook and posted, “If this zeal were shown in hospitals, ambulances, oxygen supplies, medicine supplies, Bihar would have applauded you.”

    The escalated Twitter war took an interesting turn when daughter in-law of one of the NDA allies-HAM’s chief Jitan Ram Manjhi jumped in between Modi and Rohini Acharya.

    Taking to her twitter on Friday, Deepa Santosh Manjhi, wife of NDA minister Santosh Manjhi, reprimanded Rohini and started advising Rohini to live properly.

    Manjhi dubbed Rohini as fake Singaporean doctor and raised that how another daughter (estrange wife of Tej Pratap Yadav) was demanding justice, whose life was ruined by the Lalu family.

    In one day, Deepa Santosh Manjhi became an instant hit in the politics of Bihar through series of tweets  done attacking Rohini Acharya.

  • Lalu Prasad could return to Bihar politics after party meet

    Express News Service
    PATNA:  Come May 9, RJD chief Lalu Prasad may become active again in Bihar’s politics. He and his son Tejashwi Yadav, Bihar Assembly’s opposition leader, are set to appear in a virtual meeting with the party leaders and the MLAs.

    It is believed here that Lalu Prasad will return to his party’s active politics after years of gaps in Bihar. Lalu Prasad will be speaking from New Delhi, where he is now staying at residence of his elder daughter Dr Misa Bharti, days after he was granted bail in multiple cases of fodder scams.

    Enthused over getting to interact with the party’s boss on May 9, many RJD leaders said: “Ab khela hobe Bihar me (Now a game will be held in Bihar) after West Bengal with the start of first virtual meeting by ‘Sahab’”.The NDA government is surviving in Bihar with the supports of smaller allies, which have won the eight seats in the recent elections. 

    The RJD is learnt to be in effort as how to lure the smaller parties to the Mahagatvandhan. Sources, meanwhile, said that the posts of deputy chief minister can be offered by the Mahagatvandhan to the MLAs, who will like to come out from the NDA.

  • Lalu set free after completion of bail formalities; but will stay in AIIMS Delhi for treatment

    By PTI
    RANCHI: RJD president Lalu Prasad was released from jail Thursday evening after completion of bail formalities in the special CBI court in Ranchi.

    After the Bar Council of India allowed lawyers to attend necessary court works, Prasad’s lawyers submitted bail bond and two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each in the Ranchi CBI court during the day.

    Accordingly, judge M K Mishra issued release order of the RJD supremo.

    Inspector General of Prison department Virendra Bhusan told PTI that after fulfilment of the bail conditions in the Ranchi CBI court the order reached Birsa Munda jail which sent a mail to the competent authorities in AIIMS New Delhi, where the RJD boss is undergoing treatment in judicial custody, and he was set free this evening.

    Prasad will,however, stay in AIIMS for some more time for treatrment of his ailments as desired by his family.

    The Jharkhand High Court had granted bail to Prasad in the last pending case related to Dumka treasury on April 17.

    Initially, Prasad’s lawyers had planned to move the Special CBI court in Ranchi for fulfiling the bail conditions at the earliest on April 19, but they could not do so as lawyers had stopped attending courts following Jharkhand bar council’s directives in the wake of surging coronavirus cases which had infected many judicial staff too.

    The restrictions were meant for one week but subsequently it was extended by another week till May 2 on the same ground.

    But, the Bar Council of India’s permission came as a relief to Prasad whose lawyers completed the process in the Ranchi court.

    If things would have materialised on time, Prasad could have been freed after 39 months and 25 days of incarceration.

    But, the matter got delayed for some more time.

    While allowing bail prayer of Prasad, Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh had directed him to submit his passport and not leave the country without permission.

    The court had also instructed him not to change his address and mobile number during the bail period.

    The single bench had further directed him to deposit Rs 5 lakh penalty amount each in two cases-one under IPC sections and another Corruption Act- and two sureties of Rs one lakh each.

    While sentencing Prasad in the Dumka case on March 24, 2018 to 14 years in jail, a special CBI court of Ranchi had also imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh, Rs 30 lakh each under IPC sections and corruption Act.

    The instant case is related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.

    13 crore from the Dumka treasury in the early 1990s.

    Prasad had acquired bail in three other cases of the fodder scam-Deogarh, Chaibasa and Ranchi’s Doranda trasury- and was waiting for judgement in the Dumka case.

    The 73-year-old RJD supremo was airlifted to AIIMS New Delhi on January 24 last in view of his bad health.

    The Rs 950 cror fodder scam took place in the Animal Husbandry department in Bihar when Prasad was the chief minister.

    Lalu is in Ranchi jail after his sentence in Rs 89 lakh Deogarh trerasury case on December 23, 2017.

    The RJD chief’s son and leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav had earlier said that notwithstanding bail and even after completion of release procedure,seeing his medical condition Prasad would continue in Delhi AIIMS for some more time and would come to Patna residence only after recuperating fully and on advise of the attending doctors.

  • Lalu’s release from jail delayed as lawyers not attending courts work due to COVID surge

    By PTI
    RANCHI: Despite getting bail in the last pending case of the fodder scam more than a week back, RJD president Lalu Prasad’s release from jail has further been delayed till May 3 when the lawyers are expected to resume courts works following restrictions imposed by the Jharkhand Bar Council in view of coronavirus surge.

    Prasad had acquired bail from the Jharkhand High Court on April 17 in the Dumka treasury case of the multi-crore rupees fodder scam on completion of half the sentence period, paving way for his release from jail.

    The bail order was given by Justice Aparesh Kumar Singh.

    Prasad’s lawyer Devarshi Mandal had said at that time that they will move Special CBI court in Ranchi after it opens on April 19 to seek his release following High Court order.

    But, the process was delayed as the state bar council in a meeting on April 18 told lawyers to keep away from courts in view of large-scale infection of judicial staff.

    The bar council again on April 25 extended the ban by another week till May 2.

    Prasad’s lawyer Prabhat Kumar told PTI Tuesday that till the bar council lifts the restrictions the process cannot be started.

    Bar council secretary Rajesh Pandey said another meeting will be held on May 2 to decide future course of action.

    The RJD chief is in judicial custody in AIIMS New Delhi since January this year.

    Talking about release procedure, Prasad’s lawyer Devarshi Mandal had said, they are getting a signed application from Prasad which will be submitted to the CBI court along with the HC order.

    Since his signed application will be there so Prasad need not appear in person before the CBI court, he had said.

    The CBI court will then send the order to Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi, in whose custody Prasad was originally sent by the court.

    The Birsa Munda jail authorities will send the relevant papers to Tihar jail in the national capital, in whose custody Prasad is at present, which will enact the release process of Prasad, Mandal said.

    If things would have materialised on time, Prasad could have been freed after 39 months and 25 daysof incarceration.

    While allowing bail prayer to Prasad, the court had directed him to submit his passport and not leave the country without permission.

    It had also instructed him not to change his address and mobile number during the bail period.

    The court also ordered him to deposit Rs 5 lakh penalty amount each in two cases-one under IPC sections and another Corruption Act- and two sureties of Rs one lakh each.

    While sentencing Prasad in the Dumka case on March 24, 2018 to 14 years in jail, a special CBI court of Ranchi had also imposed a fine of Rs 60 lakh, Rs 30 lakh each under IPC sections and corruption Act.

    The instant case is related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 3.

    13 crore from the Dumka treasury in the early 1990s.

    Prasad had acquired bail in three other cases of the fodder scam-Deogarh, Chaibasa and Ranchi’s Doranda trasury cases- and was waiting for judgement in the Dumka case.

    The 73-year-old RJD supremo was airlifted to AIIMS New Delhi on January 24 last in view of his bad health.

    The Rs 950 cror fodder scam took place in the Animal Husbandry department in Bihar when Prasad was the chief minister.

    Lalu is in Ranchi jail after his sentence in Rs 89 lakh Deogarh trerasury case on December 23, 2017.

    The RJD chief’s son and leader of opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav has said earlier that notwithstanding bail and even after completion of release procedure,seeing his medical condition Prasad would continue at Delhi AIIMS for some more time and would come to Patna residence only after recuperating fully and on advise of the attending doctors.