Let them dream about GA break-up: Tejashwi
Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Monday lashed out at the union governments for action against him and his family members by federal probe agencies, saying it was only aimed at character assassination and to divert attention and stop the Grand Alliance (GA) government under chief minister Nitish Kumar from delivering on its promises made to the people of the state
Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav on Monday lashed out at the union governments for action against him and his family members by federal probe agencies, saying it was only aimed at character assassination and to divert attention and stop the Grand Alliance (GA) government under chief minister Nitish Kumar from delivering on its promises made to the people of the state.
“The fact is they are unnerved due to the fear of bitter prospects in 2024 General Elections. Neither I have to be CM nor Nitish Kumar has to become PM. We are happy where we are. I am happy working under Nitishji’s leadership. Let them do daydreaming that GA will break. They stand exposed and so their desperation is reflecting through their actions,” he said.
Yadav was giving the government reply on the budgetary demand of the road construction department in the state Legislative Assembly after a debate. However, his speech was more political, with CM Kumar sitting next to him. The BJP staged a walkout.
Yadav said the same old case, on which replies were given even in the Parliament and CBI closed them 3-4 times, is raised time and again. “Our family even won the disproportionate assets case in the Supreme Court, but they are still on. Laluji was never frightened, his son will also not be afraid. Their old tactics will not work. People are watching everything,” he said.
“... Who will be more fortunate than me. Both my father are mother were CMs and I have been deputy CM as well as leader of opposition. I have to prove Nitishji right for the opportunity he has given me. Those who talk all kinds of things should refrain from it,” he said, looking at the benches where RJD leaders were sitting, reiterating that he was strongly with Nitish Kumar.
The RJD leader said he was not afraid of cases by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) or the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). “It is their (BJP’s) habit to spread lies and hatred. They cannot remember the likes of Vijay Mallya, Mehul Chowksi, Lalit Modi and others. There is a scam of ₹80,000 crore and the Supreme Court has formed a committee, but their parrot is finding it difficult to come out,” he said.
“But they can go to the houses of my sisters and their in-laws and take snaps of their jewellery. When Atalji and Advaniji were there, it was not like this. They carried raids at 25 places and if each one has one or two lakh rupees for family expenses, it becomes ₹50 lakh. What does it mean? ED finished its work at my house in half an hour, but officials they kept sitting. I told them to prepare the ‘panchnama’ (seizure list) and go, but they said they would go only when they get a call from above... My wife is pregnant and in advanced stage some complications do arise, like fluctuation in blood pressure, but she also had to sit for long hours,” he said.
In an oblique reference to former deputy CM Sushil Modi, Yadav said, “There is a leader in BJP who keeps doing press conferences all day to spread misinformation. In 2017, he spread misinformation about a soil scam. After his party joined the government, the same leader became the minister of the department and covered up the scam. His own party politically buried him later. Now he is again in action to draw the attention of his party to prove his relevance. I sometimes ask if he is speaking anything new. He, however, never talks about his own ashiyana (building).”
The RJD leader also attacked the leader of opposition in Bihar for not apologising on the Tamil Nadu episode despite the fact that his allegations of migrants being attacked in the southern state were proved wrong. “They don’t have the dignity to apologise. When we encourage poor, it becomes corruption. When they allow the rich to escape, it becomes etiquette,” he said.
