BJP flays JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar's claims of fighting corruption

PATNA: Opposition BJP today questioned JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar's claims of zero tolerance towards corruption saying there is a gap between his speech and deeds as he joined hands with Lalu Prasad of RJD who is convicted in a multi-crore fodder scam case.

"By joining hands with Lalu Prasad who is convicted in a fodder scam case and Om Prakash Chautala of INLD presently in Tihar jail in a corruption case in education department, how Nitish Kumar claims he would fight against corruption?" senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi said in a statement here.

"Isn't there a gap between Nitish Kumar's speech and deeds?" Sushil Modi who was Deputy Chief Minister to Kumar in the NDA rule in Bihar, questioned.

Sushil Modi sought to know from Kumar as to what the JD(U) government was doing in connection with the medicine scam worth over Rs 100 crore and the scam in country-made liquor sale policy worth more than Rs 340 crore.

"Why no FIR has been lodged against anybody in the medicine scam and no steps initiated to recover lost state revenue," he said.

"Nitish Kumar should answer if the state government was doing anything with regard to loss of about Rs 341 crore by selling country-made liquor in PET (polythene terephthalate) bottles at 17 different rates," he said.

Sushil Modi, who is leader of opposition in Legislative Council at present, also raised the issue of suspension of Commissioner of Patna Municipal Corporation Kuldip Narayan on the basis of "baseless" allegations.