PATNA: RJD chief Lalu Prasad was caught in the thick of controversy after a video allegedly showing him having a portrait of the Dalit icon Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar placed at his feet, went viral on social media on Saturday.
In the video, Lalu is seen seated on a couch with his feet placed on a sofa nearby as a supporter enters the room carrying the portrait of Ambedkar, and places it close to former's feet before greeting him.
Bihar deputy chief minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary also shared a video clip of the incident that happened when the former CM was celebrating his 78th birthday earlier this week.
“This is testimony to the fact that Lalu Prasad holds Dalits in contempt and has no respect for the greatest leader from the depressed classes. He can have even pictures of Gods placed at his feet,” alleged Choudhary.
Lalu’s old associates like Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes also left him due to his arrogance as voters from the weaker sections also got alienated from him due to the same reason, deputy chief minister added.
Reacting sharply to Choudhary’ allegations, Lalu’s son younger and former deputy chief minister, Tejashwi Yadav said, “Lalu Prasad Yadav has installed many statues of Baba Saheb Ambedkar in Bihar. We are the people who believe in Ambedkar's ideology. Lalu Yadav works for 10 hours at the age of 78 and meets people. "These (BJP) people have nothing to do with Baba Saheb, the Constitution and reservation,” he added.
On the other hand, BJP’s Dalit leader and minister Janak Ram asked that the entire family of Lalu Prasad should tender an apology for the incident as 14 crore people of Bihar were feeling ashamed of it.
“The leader (Lalu) cuts a cake with a sword which indicates that his party wants to bring back the use of muscle power in public life,” he remarked. He claimed that people of Bihar were watching the RJD supremo’s action closely and they would give him a befitting reply at appropriate time.