PATNA: Jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s younger son and Bihar Opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav on Saturday announced his plans to start a statewide ‘'Nyay Yatra’ (justice yatra) across the state from February 9 to tell the people about the “conspiracy to frame” his father in the fodder scam cases.
The 29-year-old former deputy chief minister, whose ‘janadesh apaman yatra’ (campaign against insult to mandate) in August 2017 had drawn huge crowds, hopes to cash in on the remaining goodwill of Bihar’s people for his embattled father, who is currently serving prison terms in a Ranchi jail. RJD leaders said Tejaswi’s yatra would replicate and revive Lalu’s grassroots appeal and strengthen the party.
“I will tell the people of Bihar about the conspiracy to frame their leader, Lalu Prasad Yadav, in fodder scam cases and other cases so that he remains away from public life. I will also tell the people how the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government is trying hard to conceal a number of scams and working against the Dalits and minorities,” said Tejaswi.
During the upcoming yatra, which will begin from the eastern Purnea district, Tejaswi will visit rural villages and interact with ordinary citizens. He would address at least three public meetings every day, said RJD leaders.
The ruling JD(U) and BJP jeered at Tejaswi’s yatra plans, calling RJD a “family concern” and asserting that the party would gain little by such efforts.
“Lalu Prasad Yadav has already been convicted three times in three fodder scam cases. Bihar’s people know that there was no conspiracy against him in the fodder scam cases. These are the fruits of the massive corruption in the Lalu regime,” said deputy chief minister and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi.
JD(U) spokesperson and MLC Sanjay Singh advised Tejaswi to instead begin a “repentance yatra” and seek forgiveness from the people. “The leader of this family concern is in jail. What will Tejaswi tell the people during his yatra? Will he tell them about the corruption that put his father in jail and the massive assets the family amassed by breaking the law?” he asked.