Patna (Bihar) [India], May 3 : Union Minister and Janata Dal (United) leader Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and its leader Tejashwi Yadav. Singh alleged that the RJD's agenda is centered around parivarvad and corruption.
Singh cited several scams, including the fodder scam, Alkatra scam, and land-for-jobs scam, as examples of the RJD's alleged corrupt practices. He questioned how Tejashwi Yadav, who is in his late 30s, accumulated wealth amounting to thousands of crores.
Singh challenged Tejashwi Yadav's commitment to social justice, pointing out the apparent contradiction between his party's alleged corrupt practices and his claims of working for social justice.
"... They (RJD) don't have an agenda, their only agenda is parivarvad... The second agenda was corruption: fodder scam, Alkatra scam, land-for-jobs scam... If their agenda is social justice, how did he (Tejashwi Yadav) make thousands of crores below 18-years of age?... Ask the RJD workers what price they give for the party membership...," he said.
This comes after Tejashwi Yadav's statement regarding the caste census. Tejashwi had claimed that without scientific data, backward classes could not be brought into the mainstream, adding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had repeatedly rejected the demand for a caste census. At the same time, his father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, fought for it.
In his rebuttal, Lalan Singh questioned the credit Tejashwi sought for the caste census issue.
"What credit Laluji wants to take is beyond my understanding because Lalu Ji, the RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal), or Tejashwi Ji have no interest in any agenda that focuses on social harmony, or on providing justice to the most disadvantaged sections of society. Lalu Ji has never cared about such an agenda. His agenda has always been different."
Singh went on to emphasise that Lalu Prasad's focus throughout his political career had been on "parivarvad" (family politics) and corruption.
"During his 15 years of rule, whether it was during the period of the husband and wife, or when Tejashwi Ji became the Deputy Chief Minister with Nitish Ji's grace, the entire period needs to be studied. There was no agenda focused on public welfare. His agenda has always been one thing: 'parivarvad'," Singh said.
He added, "Whether it's the brother becoming an MLA, the brother becoming a minister, or the sister becoming an MP, that's been Lalu Ji's agenda. When Lalu Ji resigned as Chief Minister, the wife became the Chief Minister. Was there anyone else in the party at that time?"
Singh further criticized the lack of trust Lalu Prasad and his family have in others, stating, "They don't trust anyone, nor do they have faith in anyone. As long as the 'Parivarvad' thrives, that has always been their agenda."
Singh also took aim at the corruption charges that have plagued the RJD. "Lalu Ji's second agenda has always been corruption," he remarked, pointing to major scandals like the fodder scam, the 1994 Alkatra scam, and the land-for-jobs scam. "During his entire rule, corruption was his second agenda," Singh said.