Bihar polls: PM Modi slams Lalu Prasad over controversial beef remark

By Sanjay Singh

SAMASTIPUR: Targeting RJD chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad on his controversial statement that even Hindus eat beef, PM Narendra Modi said he did not want to mention those words.

Addressing an election meeting in Samastipur on Thursday, Modi reminded people that Lalu had blamed "Shaitan" (evil) for his statement. "Ye Shaitan kaun hai?" Modi questioned. He further asked why "Shaitan" chose him (Lalu). The PM then said that it was a matter of investigation.

Modi did not stop there. He told the gathering that doctors always ask diabetics when the disease began. So when did "Shaitan" first start influencing Lalu, Modi asked.

The Prime Minister appealed to voters to elect an NDA government for the sake of Bihar's development. He said the people of Bihar should not return the state to "Jungle Raj" - a term that BJP uses to refer to the 15-year Lalu-Rabri rule. Modi also said that those who believe in the politics of communalism and casteism can't do any good for Bihar. "There is only one Mantra - Vikash Raj," Modi told voters.

He also remembered former CM Karpoori Thakur whose native district is Samastipur. He reminded people of Thakur's anti-Congress stance and attacked Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad for joining hands with the Congress.

The meeting turned out to be an impressive one, with the PM getting good response to every question he put to the voters during his speech.