L. K. Advani’s mention of 1990 arrest in Jan Chetna Yatra helps Lalu Prasad

Bharatiya Janata Party stalwart L. K. Advani’s frequent mention of his arrest during the rath yatra in 1990 by the erstwhile Lalu Prasad government in Bihar has left the RJD gloating in the state.

The arrest had catapulted Lalu into the national political scene and brought him popularity among the minorities. The RJD now thinks that Advani is only helping Lalu’s cause by harping on the 21-year-old episode during his ongoing Jan Chetna Yatra.

At almost all his rallies since kickstarting his nationwide yatra at Sitab Diara in Bihar on Monday, Advani reminisced: “The then CM (Lalu) got me arrested during my yatra and put me at Masanjore in Dumka district. But the incumbent chief minister (Nitish) has flagged off my yatra.”

The RJD does not seem to mind Advani’s bid to refresh the memory of the people, especially of the minorities. “Advani ji is talking about his arrest in Bihar, which we should have mentioned,” RJD’s principal general secretary Ram Kripal Yadav said. “This will remind the secular forces about Lalu ji’s long-standing commitment to fight against the communal forces.”

There is more good news for the RJD in the form of Gujarat CM Narendra Modi posting blogs on the same issue. “Modi also talked about Nitish’s decision to flag off Advani’s yatra in the same state where Lalu had got him arrested,” Yadav said.

He pointed out that all this would remind the people how Lalu had put his government at risk by taking Advani into custody.

Courtesy: IndiaToday