MNS attacks: Nitish, Lalu trade charges

The war of words between Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad over the issue of resignation of legislators and parliamentarians continued on Monday with both blaming each other for breaching the unity among political parties on the issue of violent attacks on north Indians by MNS activists in Mumbai.

While Lalu Prasad shot off a letter to Kumar seeking resignation by all MPs and legislators from the state for launching a united struggle for mobilising public opinion against cruelty towards Biharis, Kumar suggested that instead of politicising the issue Lalu Prasad should put pressure on the Centre to take stern action against the Maharashtra government for its failure to rein in the divisive forces.

"Lalu Prasad is a very strong minister at the Centre and I have no doubts that he can compel the Centre to initiate action against the Maharashtra government," Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of the Janata Darbar.

When DMK President M Karunanidhi could force the Centre to take up the issue of attacks on Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka, Lalu Prasad with 24 MPs and armed with the power of all party delegation to PM, could very well force the Centre to act, Kumar said.

Instead of raising the issue of resignation of all MPs and MLAs, Lalu Prasad should camp in New Delhi and make a sincere effort to protect the honour of Bihar, the chief minister said.

Kumar said the resignation by five JD-U MPs was not a 'drama' as alleged by Prasad.

The JD-U parliamentary party decided to resign to put pressure on the Centre to act and make a sincere effort to help the powerful union ministers from the state to assert their authority.

Kumar demanded that forces fomenting regionalism and launching a hate campaign against the north Indians in Maharashtra for the past few years should be identified and a case of sedition be initiated against them.

The chief minister also demanded that a meeting of national integration council be convened to discuss the matter threadbare since the issue involved the unity and integrity of the country.

Stating that he did not believe in politicising the issue, Kumar said the ire of railway job aspirants was against the railway minister for not shifting the venue of examination centres from Mumbai.