HRD Minister Arjun Singh denounced his cabinet colleague Lalu Prasad's remarks that he would have crushed Varun Gandhi under a roller for his hate speech, saying they were typical of the Railway Minister and favoured legal action against him if the statement fell under the purview of criminal law.

"Only Lalu can speak like this. What else can he speak, only such statements are expected of him," said the senior Congress leader when asked to react to Lalu's remarks against Varun.

Though admitting that such statements of Lalu Yadav will affect the prospects of Congress party in the Lok Sabha polls the Union minister avoided any direct comment on the issue.

However, when asked about the legal repercussions of the Railway Minister's statement, he said, "If the statement of Lalu Prasad comes under the purview of Criminal Law, legal action must be initiated against him."

Lalu had said at an election rally at Kishanganj in Bihar yesterday that he would have run a roller on Varun Gandhi for his hate speeches against Muslims if he had been the home minister.

Asked if his opinion on the invocation of NSA against Varun Gandhi was not at variance with the stand adopted by his party Singh said, "The action against Varun Gandhi under NSA was totally wrong but the alleged statement of Varun Gandhi against the Muslims was also not acceptable."