His repeated claims of not playing politics over devastating floods notwithstanding, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is in his elements as he meets distraught victims.
MANSI (Bihar): His repeated claims of not playing politics over devastating floods notwithstanding, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad is in his elements as he meets distraught victims in deluge-ravaged districts of north Bihar, cuddling children, making speeches and blasting the state government for its 'callous neglect.'
"Fail kar gaya Nitish. Hum khana aur bhoosa bhejwa rahe hain. Sab station par khidi chokha hai, jaao aur bharpet khao. Nitish has failed. (I have left food and fodder at every railway station. There is khichdi and mashed potato, go and have your fill)," Lalu tells a crowd at Saharsa.
Then he cuddles an infant while seated in his SUV, glass rolled down and puts the child in front of the car airconditioner, saying 'isko hava khilao (let him catch a breath of air).'
"Hum Lalu Yadav hain. Zindabad bolo. Aye bachcha ko paisa do. (I am Lalu Yadav. Greet me. Give money to this child)," he
says as an aide hands over a currency note of Rs 500 to the infant's father with the RJD chief saying 'go get him clothes.'
"Kya naam hai bachcha ka? Batao nahin to bachcha ko le kar chal denge. (What's the name of the child? Tell me or I will leave with the child)," he says playfully as the father timidly answers 'Ravi'.
"Aap log mushar (a Dalit caste) hain na?" he asks as the people nod in the affirmative before resuming his journey.
"Nitish Kumar murdabad. Lalu Yadav zindabad (Down with Nitish Kumar. Hail Lalu Yadav)," chants the crowd and the
small convoy moves on with Lalu wearing a broad smile.
Village after village, the convoy of 5 to 6 vehicles stops as Lalu meets people, who have made the highways their home.
"Don't worry, the Centre is with you. Soniaji and Manmohan Singh saw your plight at my request. We have given Rs 1000 crore and 1.25 lakh tonnes of foodgrains. I will come again next week and stay with you to see if every paisa is being spent properly or not," he assures another group of people at Baidyanathpur.
"Yeh Nitish Kumar bhi barh pidit hai. Paanch baar barh se jeeta aur 2004 mein haar gaya. Ab jabse mukhyamantri bana hai har saal barh aa jata hai. (Nitish Kumar is also a victim of floods. He won from Barh (parliamentary seat) five times, but lost in 2004. Ever since he became chief minister no year passes without floods."
Lalu says he has sent one lakh sarees to the flood ravage areas and also allocated Rs 90 crore from the Railway Minister's fund.
The Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC), RITES and other wings of The railways have pitched in with relief.
"The destruction is as great as a tsunami, but the state government has not not yet woken from its slumber. We are with you in your hour of crisis... Lalu Yadav is with you, don't worry," he says.
Lalu, who has Z plus security cover shoos away the commandoes accompanying him while meeting people.
"Some undesirable elements may even kill me, but I am not not scared. I don't want securitymen to come between me and the people," he told this correspondent accompanying him.
Like when he called the shots in Bihar, the RJD supremo makes it a point to chide top state government officials over phone whenever anybody in the crowd makes a complaint about the problems being faced by them.
"Humko bhool gaye kya? Rahat nahin pahuncha hai abhi tak aur jaldi nahin pahuncha to hum yahin dharna par baith jayenge. (Have you forgotten me? No relief has reached people. I will sit on a dharna here if relief does not arrive soon)," he tell Disaster Management Department principal secretary as he is surrounded by a large crowd.
"Pillai saheb (Bihar Chief Secretary) kuch kaam nahin ho raha hai .... koi rahat nahin hai sirf sarkar dawa karti hai. "Mr Pillai, nothing is being done. There is no no relief, the government is only making tall claims," he blares into his mobile phone as the congregation claps in approval.
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