Lalu Prasad's beef remark deliberate: Ravi Shankar Prasad

PATNA: Refusing to accept Lalu Prasad's denial on the beef remark, Union Communications and Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad today said the RJD supremo had indeed made the controversial remark deliberately to cater to votebank politics.

"Prasad had indeed made the remark that Hindus too eat beef and the same has been corroborated by the video footage available to all, including media... The RJD supremo stands exposed on the issue," Prasad told reporters here.

Claiming that the RJD chief stood "thoroughly exposed", he played an audio tape to the mediapersons in which the RJD chief was heard purportedly saying that a 'shaitan' (devil) had come in his mouth and made him say that Hindus too eat beef.

"He (Lalu Prasad) made the beef remark deliberately and consciously to address his votebank politics in a shameful and despicable manner," the senior BJP leader said.

He also condemned the RJD supremo for selectively quoting from RSS former Sarsanghchalak M S Golwalkar's book 'Bunch of Thoughts' to attack BJP and RSS on reservation policy and said that it reflected the latter's "desperation to deflect attention from development issues".

"It is a sign of desperation," the senior BJP leader said and lashed out at Prasad for selectively quoting from the late RSS leader's book to create confusion among the people on the reservation issue.

BJP leadership has categorically explained its position that it did not favour review of the existing quota system, he said.

The coming poll fight in Bihar between NDA and secular alliance was development versus 'jungle raj' agendas, he said.

Describing Lalu Prasad as 'Shiromani' of 'jungle raj' that dogged Bihar during his party's 15 years' rule, he asked Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who too has promised development, as to why he formed the alliance with RJD for whom development has always been a non-issue.

"You (Nitish Kumar) owe an explanation to the people of Bihar as to why you formed an alliance with the RJD," Prasad said and described the secular alliance "as an unnatural alliance borne out of rank opportunism" in which leaders of constituent parties were not being seen together at each other's election rallies.