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The Times of India
The Times of India
National
Madan Kumar | TNN

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar disapproves CBI charge sheet against his new ally RJD chief Lalu Prasad

PATNA: Bihar CM and JD(U)’s de facto leader Nitish Kumar on Saturday raised a voice of disapproval over the CBI’s charge-sheet against his new ally RJD president Lalu Prasad and few other members of his family in the land-for-railway-job case, saying, “They (CBI) have started this new thing, after we came together to form a new government in the state.”

On Friday, the CBI filed a charge sheet against former railway minister and RJD boss Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri Devi (also a former CM) and 14 others in connection with alleged appointments made in railways in return for land parcels gifted or sold to his family.

Asked about the CBI’s charge sheet against Lalu, Nitish told reporters, “You all may recall what happened about five years back. That case caused me to part ways with the RJD and walk out of the then Grand Alliance government (in 2017).” Nitish was referring to the IRCTC hotel-for-land scam but didn’t take the name of the case. After a CBI raid at Lalu-Rabri house in the IRCTC hotel-for-land case, Nitish had dumped the RJD in 2017 and joined hands with the BJP to form the NDA government.

“Even after more than five years, nothing came out of that (IRCTC) case. I have seen there was nothing in that case. Now, as we have once again gone with the RJD and formed the Grand Alliance government, they have started this new thing,” Nitish said while responding to a media query after paying floral tributes to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan on his death anniversary in the state capital here.

Lalu’s son and deputy CM Tejahswi Prasad Yadav was by his side when Nitish was responding to media queries about the CBI’s charge sheet against the RJD president.

“One case they had filed five and a half years ago. When they found nothing in that case, they started a new thing. Is this the way? (yeh koi tarika hai). Is it a matter of fact? (Yeh koi baat hai),” Nitish asked and reiterated, “Now, when we have come together, they have come out with this new case. What will we say on these issues? Let them do whatever they feel like, what can we do?"

In the charge sheet filed before a special CBI court in New Delhi, the central investigating agency has also named Lalu’s eldest daughter and Rajya Sabha member Misa Bharti, former general manager of Central Railways Sowmya Raghvan, former CPO Railways Kamal Deep Mainrai, seven aspirants appointed as substitutes and four private individuals.

The Bihar BJP, however, expressed utter surprise over Nitish defending Lalu in the land-for-railway-job case. “We are surprised that Nitish ji is not only defending Lalu Prasad and family in the IRCTC, land-for-railway-job case but even accusing the central investigating agencies and that too on the death anniversary of JP. The way Nitish ji has agreed to sit in the lap of Congress and RJD by compromising with corruption and dynastic politics, the soul of JP might be crying,” Bihar BJP spokesperson Nikhil Anand said on Saturday.

Anand also pointed out that Nitish gained political prominence fighting against the corruption and family politics of Congress as well as RJD. “But the way he has now turned into a mouthpiece of Congress and RJD, the people of Bihar are feeling ashamed of his U-turn. In all the scams Lalu and his family is involved, it was Nitish and JD(U) president Lalan Singh who started the legal battle but now both these leaders have apologised to Lalu, Rabri and family in person to gain political support. Nitish Kumar has no moral authority to claim the legacy of JP while sitting in the lap of Congress- RJD and shamelessly defending their charges of corruption and dynastic rule," Anand said.

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