PATNA: After lying low for six days since facing a setback in the fodder scam cases, RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday flamboyantly asserted his position in the ruling alliance and attacked PM Narendra Modi, daring him to hold Lok Sabha polls now.
Yadav, whose conversation over the phone with jailed criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin had sparked a political storm recently, called up several police officers over an attack on Dalit villagers. “I spoke to the SP and DM of Buxar district, the DSP and also the SHO, and I asked them to take prompt and strong action against the accused who attacked the Dalit people,” said Yadav.
With this, he apparently sought to send the message that he holds a significant position in the Nitish Kumar-led grand alliance government, in which his party RJD is the biggest constituent.
Nearly 10 men and women from Dhansoi in Buxar district met Yadav and told him how police took no action against people who beat them up and damaged their houses.
The complainants also gave Yadav a recorded phone conversation one of them had with the SHO of Dhansoi police station.
The complainant is heard telling the SHO he would go to Yadav with the complaint, and to this the SHO is heard replying: “Go to Lalu Yadav, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Nitish Kumar or the PM. Go wherever you want to…”