Fodder scam verdict: BJP calls UPA an 'alliance of corruption', Congress says CBI 'a pet parrot of govt'

NEW DELHI: Today's verdict by the CBI special court in the fodder scam case, which led to the conviction of RJD leader Lalu Prasad, caused a war of words between the political opponents.
While the Congress alleged that the CBI is behaving like a "pet performing parrot of this government", the BJP called the political alliance between RJD and Congress an "alliance of corruption".

BJP leader JP Nadda attacked the United Progressive Alliance for seeking support from the RJD and said that today's verdict has made it clear that the alliance between Congress and RJD is an alliance of corruption, connivance and cheating the people of India.

Congress leader Manish Tewari responded to the allegation and said that criminal cases and political alliance are two separate matters.

"This (case) has not started today. It had started in 1993-94. Between 1993-94 and today, we (Congress) have had a coalition with RJD, during UPA-1 they were part of the government, they were part of mahagatbandhan as well. So criminal cases and political alliance are two separate matters," he said.

Tewari, in turn, questioned the BJP for its alleged refusal to investigate in the Srijan scam.

He also questioned the credibility of the central investigating agency, CBI, and said that the institute is "supposed to function in a fair, objective and transparent manner".

"CBI is behaving like a pet performing parrot of this government. CBI and ED are not private lawyers, they are state instrumentalities. They are supposed to function in a fair, objective and transparent manner," he said.

"So as far as CBI and ED are concerned, if you think that JDU is in coalition with BJP, and there will be investigation against their ministers, this is like flying fictional kites," he added

RJD leader Manoj Jha joined Tewari in levying allegations on the saffron party.

"...Politically I know this regime, they have this typical Standard Operating Procedure-Try to make a deal with your opposition, if you fail...scare them. Want to tell them-Your end has begun", he said.

Responding to Lalu's allegation that the BJP had a role to play in his conviction, Deputy chief minister of Bihar Sushil Kumar Modi said that verdict was given by a judicial body and not BJP.

"Lalu was convicted for the first time during UPA regime & now blaming BJP? How can BJP influence the judicial process? Court has convicted Lalu, not BJP", Modi said.

Sushil Modi was responding to Lalu Prasad's allegation where he had accused BJP of playing dirty games by distorting public perception against the political opponents with an aim to garner votes.

The deputy chief minister further sharpened his attack on Lalu Prasad and said that it is unlikely that today's verdict will be a lesson for the RJD leader.

"Lalu Prasad, who is already convicted in one such case, is not going to mend his ways," Modi added.

"You reap what you sow," he said, adding the judgement was a lesson for politicians who amass benami properties in the name of Dalits, backwards and minorities.

"Had Lalu Prasad learnt any lesson from the fodder scam, he would not have indulged in the Lara scam in which he has dragged all his family members. He has not learnt from his past mistakes," Modi said.

The Lara scam refers to the soil scandal in the state in which Prasad's elder son Tej Pratap had allegedly sold soil worth Rs 90 lakh from an under-construction mall being built on a large patch of land owned by his family.

Sushil Modi also lambasted Lalu's pro-poor policies during his tenure as the chief minister of the state and said that the RJD leader was only one to have benefited from those policies following his involvement in the multi-crore fodder scam.


Tejashwi Yadav, the son of Lalu Prasad, was quick to counter Sushil Modi's allegations and said that his father was targeted because he had challenged the political bigwigs.


Later in the day, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra took a swipe at the Lalu's tweet where he had evoked the names of world leaders, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther.



Today, a CBI special court convicted RJD leader Lalu Prasad in the case pertaining to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89.27 lakh from the Deoghar Treasury between 1991 and 1994.