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Patna : The withdrawal of RJD Chief Lalu Prasad’s Z + VIP security cover of NSG commandos has evoked sharp and stinging reactions from the RJD supremo and his two sons: Tejaswi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav, who cried conspiracy, with one of them even threatening to skin PM Narendra Modi. Lalu accused the Narendra Modi government of hatching a conspiracy to frighten him so that he gives up his fight for preserving communal harmony.
Apart from Lalu Prasad, the Centre also decided to withdraw ‘Z+’ CRPF VIP security cover of former Bihar CM and Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) chief Jitan Ram Manjhi. HAM is an NDA constituent. Manjhi said told reporters, ” I still face threat to my life.”
Lalu while addressing a presser at Patna on November 27, 2017, said that he was not someone who can be frightened into submission. If anything happens to me, the Nitish Kumar government in the state and Modi government at the Centre shall be jointly responsible.
Tej Pratap, the elder son of the RJD chief, threatened to get Modi skinned.” They are hatching a murder conspiracy against him (Lalu). If something happens to him, we will get the prime minister skinned (khal utarwa lenge),” an angry Tej Pratap Yadav told reporters outside the Bihar Assembly.
If my father is killed who will take responsibility for this? asked Tej Pratap, a former minister and sitting MLA from Mahua in Vaishali district. When mediapersons said he was making derogatory remarks against the prime minister, he said, “go and tell him (PM)”.
When asked about Tej Pratap’s remarks, Lalu Prasad diapproved of the kind of language he used against Modi but said blood of anybody will boil if he finds his father at the receiving end of such a conspiracy.
Tejaswi, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly and the younger son of the RJD Chief, also attacked the Centre for downgrading Lalu’s security. He said that by downgrading his security, the Centre is trying to frighten him as he is working towards opposition unity. He also expressed apprehension that with a less strong security cover, the RJD chief had become vulnerable and the Centre shall be held solely responsible if anything happens to him.
The RJD chief said, “We are the most vocal opponents of the Modi government which is taking the country towards dictatorship.I am travelling to different places acoss the country as part of my ‘BJP bhagao, desh bachao’ campaign. This has rattled the BJP.”
Lalu also questioned the withdrawal of security cover of Manjhi. ” It is well-known that Manjhi faces threat to his life from naxalites.”
Bihar Deputy CM and senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi trashed the remonstrations over the scaling down of Lalu’s security saying, “Lalu se log darte hain. Lalu ko kisse dar lagta hai (People are scared of Lalu. Who does he fear?)’.
Lalu will now be given ‘Z’ category security and be guarded by an armed commando squad of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). He will not have National Security Guard Black Cat Commandos guarding him any more. The decision was taken after the Union home ministry recently reviewed the threat levels of various VIP protectees.
Tej Pratap’s remarks against the prime minister come days after he made harsh comments against Sushil Modi and threatened to disrupt the marriage ceremony of his son on December 3. Citing security reasons, Sushil Modi changed the venue of his son’s wedding to Veterinary College ground from Shakha field in Rajendra Nagar, Patna.