Now, Lalu says Advani, Modi behind blasts

Railways Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday set the UPA’s tone for taking on the BJP over the Sadhvi issue by charging the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani...

Railways Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday set the UPA’s tone for taking on the BJP over the Sadhvi issue by charging the NDA’s prime ministerial candidate L K Advani of being a “terror mask”.

Lalu alleged that through the Malegaon and Samjhauta Express blasts the BJP had conspired to stage communal riots in the country for electoral gains. “And the brain behind the blasts are none other than L K Advani and Narendra Modi,” Lalu alleged.

“Sabse bade atankwadion ke Advani mukhowta hai. Malegaon aur Samjhauta Express blast BJP ka desh me danga karane ka saajis tha. Saajis ka taar Narendra Modi se bhi juda hua hai,” Lalu remarked in his style.

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While thanking the Mumbai ATS for exposing everything, the RJD chief said the investigating agency would spill out more important names in the days to come. He even urged the ATS to trace the Gujarat angle and the involvement of Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the whole episode.

While praising the ATS, Lalu even castigated the Intelligence Bureau (IB) under Home Minister Shivraj Patil for its failure to expose the involvement of Hindu outfit members in the blasts. “IB has proved to be a big failure,” Lalu said.

Taking on his Bihar rival Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the RJD leader charged that he too was part of the company of Advani and Modi and dared him to break free from the NDA. Asked about Kumar’s response to his advice for quitting the state legislature over the issue of MNS attacks on north Indians, the RJD leader charged his opponent of defending himself. “Nitish is not ready to quit. The resignation of JD(U) MPs makes no sense,” Lalu said and added that he was ready to give some more time to Kumar to take a decision over stepping down.

“I am ready to quit if Nitish too quits. If he is scared about imposition of President’s rule in Bihar then let him quit alone and leave out his MLAs,” Lalu said.