BihAr’s modi Unveils lAlU leelA

Are RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and members of his family among the richest land holders in the country? Yes, if you are ready to believe Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi.

Sushil Modi, who has made this startling claim in his new 198-page book Lalu Leela, told The Sunday Guardian that the Lalu family had “illegally” amassed properties to become the owner of “141 land plots, 30 flats and half-a-dozen houses” in Bihar and other states.

Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad released the book, which is a compilation of facts mentioned by the Registrar of Companies about the 10 “sham” companies with which Lalu’s sons and daughters were associated. This is Sushil Modi’s second book. His first book, Beech Samar Mein ( In the Middle of War), was released two years ago and centred on his imprisonment during the Emergency.

Sushil Modi says that Lalu started his journey from a chaprasi (peon) quarters and went on to get convicted in four cases of the Rs 1,000-crore fodder scam. Lalu is currently admitted to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi under police custody.

Sushil Modi wants to know, “How come Lalu’s 29-year-old son Tejashwi Yadav has become the owner of over 20 properties? The family had no ancestral land. Tejashwi remained unsuccessful in cricket. Another son Tej Pratap (a former minister) also owns 28 properties and daughter Misha Bharti, 23 properties. Lalu’s wife and former Bihar Chief Minister Rabri Devi also owns 43 plots and over 30 flats.”

RJD national vice-president Shivanand Tewary, however, laughs and says, “Why did Bihar’s Chhota Modi have to write a book to tell the gist of his 40-odd press conferences. The BJP leadership is afraid of Lalu Prasad’s huge political status in Bihar and that is why it leaves no opportunity to discredit him.”