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Laloo regales elders, promises to demolish BJP's pride

Speaking for more than an hour, Yadav infuriated members of the Treasury benches with his strident criticism of the government on Hindutva, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and Ayodhya, triggering protests from Bharatiya Janata Party members that led to the House being adjourned twice during the discussion on Gujarat.

The trouble began when Laloo Yadav recalled the contributions made by Muslims for the country's freedom struggle and what the RSS was doing at the time.

Yadav said that after having been a member of the Lok Sabha, the Bihar assembly and the Bihar Legislative Council, he had come to the Rajya Sabha with a well-thought-out plan to demolish the BJP's pride.

His reference to Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the Gwalior incident during the freedom struggle led to another bout of protests from BJP members who said he should not make such allegations.

But the chair said he would not disturb the member who was making his maiden speech. Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie said the chair should not allow the member to make such allegations as the matter had already been clarified.

Stating that the BJP came to power with the help of people like George Fernandes, Sharad Yadav and Ram Vilas Paswan, Laloo Yadav said, "Today the nation is on the verge of disintegration."

Referring to the Tehelka expose, Yadav said former BJP president Bangaru Laxman was made a sacrificial goat for being a dalit while George Fernandes was rehabilitated in the Union Cabinet.

Ridiculing the Rs 150 crore package announced by the prime minister for the rehabilitation of the riot-hit people of Gujarat, he asked, "Is it the value of human lives?"

Sending the House into raptures, the former Bihar chief minister chided the BJP's B P Singhal, a retired officer of the Indian Police Service, and told him not to turn the Upper House into a "police line" by frequently interrupting his maiden speech.

Questioning the prime minister's rationale in deputing a senior officer of his staff to Ayodhya to receive the stone meant for the proposed Ram temple, Yadav described the BJP as 'Bharat Jalao Party' leading to fresh acrimony.

PTI

The Sabarmati in Flames: Complete Coverage

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