Patna: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi tore into RJD president Lalu Prasad over his recent "no family" remark, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) put up a poster in retaliation, accusing him of selling the country's assets.
The poster put up by the RJD reads, "Garv se kahta hu, Main desh ki sampatti bechane waale ka parivaar nahin" (Proudly proclaiming that I am not from a family that sells the country's assets.)
The poster erected by RJD workers in Patna aimed to convey a clear message that the current government at the Centre comprises individuals who sell the country's assets, contrasting the RJD as a party that does not engage in such practices.
PM Modi attacks Lalu Yadav at Bihar rally
The poster was a response to Prime Minister Modi's strong criticism of Lalu Yadav and his characterization of the RJD as a party of 'parivarvaad' (family-centric politics).
Addressing a rally in Bettiah, the headquarters of West Champaran district, Modi referred to Prasad and his family as "the biggest offenders (sabse bade gunahgar)" of Bihar. He accused them of bringing "jungle raj" during their decade-and-a-half-long rule in the state.
"Since Independence, migration to other places in search of livelihood has been a major challenge before Bihar. The problem peaked when 'jungle raj' came," said Modi, alluding to the rise to power of Prasad in the 1990s. An entire generation was deprived of future prospects during the jungle raj. Only one family prospered", said Modi and indirectly referred to the land-for-jobs scam, pertaining to Prasad's tenure as the railway minister in the Manmohan Singh government.
"Can Bihar forgive its biggest offenders, who grabbed the land of people in exchange for jobs", asked the prime minister, referring to the scam in which Prasad's wife and son Tejashwi Yadav, besides daughter Misa Bharti have been named as accused.
Lalu's 'PM has no family remark'
Earlier on March 3, RJD chief Lalu Yadav at the Jan Vishwas Maha Rally' in Patna had made objectionable remarks about the Prime Minister's family. "This Narendra Modi is attacking 'parivaarvaad' these days. First, you should tell why you do not have any children or family. For the people with more children, he (PM Modi) says that it is dynasty politics. You don't have a family...You are not even a Hindu. Every Hindu tonsures their head to mourn their mother's death. Answer why did not you get your hair and beard removed," Lalu said.
Reacting to Lalu Prasad's statement, in an address in Telangana's Adilabad, PM Modi said, "The leaders of the INDI alliance, deeply engrossed in corruption, nepotism and appeasement, are becoming nervous. When I question their 'Parivarvad', they have started saying that Modi has no family," the Prime Minister said".
"My life is an open book, 140 crore people of the country are my family. Today, crores of daughters, mothers and sisters of the country are Modi's family. Every poor person in the country is my family. Those who have no one, they also belong to Modi and Modi belongs to them. They say 'Nene Modi Kutumbam' (I'm Modi family)," he said.
Following this, senior BJP leaders including Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Piyush Goyal, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Kiren Rijiju, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Anurag Thakur and others added 'Modi ka Parivaar' in front of their names on the X in solidarity with PM Modi.
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