INTERVIEW with Rashtriya Janta
Dal president Laloo Yadav for Teekhi Baat on IBN7
PC:
Are you national leader or leader of Bihar
LPY:
Our’s was a national party but we got less votes in Jharkhand elections we got
regional party status, but we have got symbol, status which states we are
national party.
PC:
I asked something else
LPY:
Rashtriya Janta Dal has presence all over the country, even if we don’t contest
elections in as many places.
PC:
I mean Sharad Pawar is national leader, but his party is not national in the
same way Laloo is known across the country, he is a national leader, even if
his ‘Dal’ is not national.
LPY:
We have roots in Janta Dal, I the chief minister of state, was minister of
railways, for 15 years our government was governing Bihar, our party has got
national recognition.
PC:
One time
LPY:
One time we have got, and in Jharkhand, due to LJP tie up, we vote tally became
less, hence now we are in avatar of regional party. Laloo Yadav is not only
known nationally, but internationally.
PC:
You too are an international brand like Narendra Modi
LPY:
Narendra Modi is known for communal hatred all over the world.
PC:
You mean you are known are positive and secular
LPY:
All over the world, there are people who know me. In Emirates, a square has
been named Laloo Chowk by people from our country who went there. Internet, tv
and mobile has turned world into a global village. People residing anywhere, in
every country can keep track of who is doing what.
PC:
You are famous
LPY:
People know me, which makes me feel proud
PC:
Laloo and ‘aloo’ is internationally known as brand.
LPY:
People know me everywhere. When I was rail minster, my role was discussed
worldwide, people came from America, from Harvard, Insead, to know how loss
making railways were turned to a profit. I have taught, the case study is there
in Harvard.
PC:
You are working and you have a brand, you won Maharajganj, first, you got
Prabhunath Singh to defect. Congressmen and Nitish Kumar said Laloo didn’t win,
but their candidate defected and he won.
LPY:
Nitish has defected from here, Nitish, Sharad Yadav all are defectors, there
are ‘dal badloo’, they were all part of Janta Dal, under me, I have
nurtured then, JD (U) is a collection of ‘dal badloos’. Prabhunath Singh and
many others were all together. Nitish’s party lost by a huge margin and all
their propaganda of development has burst. Even those from his caste voted for
us.
PC:
Which means negative vote was cast against him
LPY:
Today, there is a mood in Bihar, he is a fake person sitting in the lap of RSS
and BJP. He gives big ads in newspapers at a time when the education system has
broken down, there problem of power supply, there is no development in
villages.
PC:
In one sentence could you tell us why Nitish Kumar’s party lost
LPY:
Nitish Kumar’s party got defeated because people are waiting for elections to
remove Nitish. Bihar’s population is aware and political. He created rifts in
minorities, dalit, maha dalit, and various castes.
PC:
After 10 years, people feel Laloo was better than Nitish Kumar
LPY:
These are people who grew under me, in our 15 year government, there were with
me for eight years. We were all together when Mandal commission was
implemented. In our 15 year rule, in that era, there was no mobile
telephone, landlines existed, there was no MNREGA, there was no Prime Minister
road construction scheme, there was no central scheme for hospitals or grants
for power. I sat with Balooji (DMK leader) and got two and four lane highways
approved for Bihar. This man (Nitish) has not even started a factory to make
needles.
PC:
Why did you lose then if you did so much development work?
LPY:
Hatred was generated against me. In our era, everybody should accept, we worked
for social justice and communal harmony. There was Advaniji’s rath on side, on
the other, there was Mandal Commission. My whole time was spent in restoring
harmony among people. There was no single paisa grant from Delhi in NDA
government, even Nitish said not even a single paisa should be given to Bihar.
PC:
If you see Maharajganj result, it is clear that that is a wave against Nitish
Kumar, you won all six assemblies by a margin of 20-25 thousand.
LPY:
Maharajganj result is the semi final. The whole country was keenly watching
what happens to Laloo in that area. In the elections, with our tie ups, we will
win 400 seats.
PC:
After a by election, you demanded resignations, it is right to do so?
LPY:
Nitish Kumar gave speech in Maharajganj, telling people not to vote for him if
they don’t like his government’s performance. Now, people of Maharajganj have
rejected your work. Nitish job is to open liquor shops selling Indian and
foreign liquor all over the state. He does not want any old people in state,
because everyone will die young drinking alcohol.
PC:
You feel he wants to make everyone a drunkard
LPY:
Every were in the state one can see boards with Nitish’s photo states that
eradicating alcoholism is our priority, but on the contrary one can see alcohol
shops in every village. Nitish told upper casts that Laloo is against you, and
now the same people who voted for Nitish, state that Laloo may be rough in his
ways of talking, but Nitish, there is no person whom Nitish has not looted.
They tried to spread hatred against me, Congress, left were contesting
separately, BJP and our defectors were together, by how many votes was I
defeated? Merely three per cent, but now Nitish has lost many votes.
PC:
After winning Maharajganj, you said no government in centre can come to power
without your support
LPY:
I never said anything like this, or to this effect. I talked regarding communal
and fascist forces in parivartan rally, I said that in 2014, the people have to
decide whether India will remain united or break up. Communal forces want to
break up the country and hurt the opposition. I have told the people of Bihar
that they have to decide whether India was be united or will break.
PC:
Laloo Prasad Yadav is alternative in Bihar, there is no Congress contender in
the state
LPY:
I am there, even if Congress is not.
PC:
Why you hold the Congress flag and move everywhere
LPY:
Even now we support the Congress party and tomorrow too will do the same.
PC:
But they make their candidates against your party
LPY:
It is my duty to keep communal forces at bay, becoming a minister is not my
priority. I will not allow the country to break.
PC:
Earlier too you have contested against the Congress party. You birth was in
anti congress ideology
LPY:
That was my mistake, shouldn’t have done that, as communal forces took benefit
of the same.
PC:
If you have love affair with Congress, then why don’t you merge in Congress
LPY:
Why will we merge, there is a different party, ours is a different party.
PC:
But principles are same
LPY:
The principle is to keep communal forces at bay
PC:
You both have same goal, you have small party, hence if you merge, you will
emerge as national leader
LPY:
If not national, am I a regional or a district leader?
PC:
When Congress party does not want you.
LPY:
Let Congress want me or not, we want it. What problem do others have?
PC:
You have love with Congress
LPY:
What problem do others have?
PC
:Rahul Gandhi does not like you
LPY:
It is a wrong that that people speak by putting words in to Rahul Gandhi’s
mouth.
PC:
When did you meet Rahul Gandhi. When did you speak one to one
LPY:
I have met and spoken.
PC:
When
LPY:
A month or two ago, before elections
PC:
On what issue
LPY:
The issue is, am saying in record, Rahul Gandhi said that Lalooji, I want to
meet you, I told him tell me what your order is? He said we are not against
you. He said that, I am not lying. Leave all those issues aside, how can I
allow communal forces to gain power in the country?
PC:
Laloo can win even without Congress.
LPY:
That is a different thing, but I will make attempts again and again to see that
there is no division of votes. There should be no division of secular votes.
PC:
You think Congress even now can win elections to form government, when so many
scams are tumbling out.
LPY:
What scams are happening, tell me one person who is clean, against whom
allegations have not been levelled? All this is happening because of leaders
who are calling each other thieves. What happened in cricket now, are thieves
present only in politics? Allegations are levelled, and the courts will look into
the cases.
PC:
Corruption is not an issue anymore, everybody is the same
LPY:
Government should make arrangements for it, I has said that right to property
should be abolished, take over everybody’s property, farmhouses and do
redistribution. Make a law.
PC:
What will be your agenda
LPY:
Our agenda would be redistribution, keeping communal forces ay bay, integrity,
peace, communal harmony should be maintained.
PC:
You speak of communal harmony, Modi is becoming popular, every survey says it,
be it any magazine or television channel, all newspapers, everybody says Modi
is the biggest popular leader.
LPY:
There have been so many allegations against Modi, Lal Krisha Advani, who got
Babri Masjid demolished.
PC:
But the government was formed in 1996 for 13 days and subsequent to that
LPY:
Where was the government formed?
PC:
In 1996 13 day national government was formed when Ataji was Prime Minister.
That happened after Babri Masjid incident. After that in 1998 it was formed.
LPY:
Anybody who troubles minorities, weaker sections, or spread hatred, will not
stay in power in the politics of this country.
PC:
But they ruled for five six years.
LPY:
They did rule be didn’t we defeat them. They got Gujarat riots done. Advaniji
was home minister and there were riots in Narendra Modi’s rule. Atalji said
Rajdharma is something. We demanded he (Modi) should be dismissed, government
should be dismissed and presidential rule should be established in the state,
Advaniji used to support Narendra Modi. Now I don’t know what it is, now he has
fallen ill. Those are their issues, I have not said anything. Advanji has been
first in the taking up the communal issue, the name of Narendra Modi follows.
PC:
There are 40 seats in Bihar, you have close to five. It is said that if Modi
comes, even you would be wiped out
LPY:
It is wrong, falsehood and a psychological war of certain media, electronic
media psychological war, even if Nitish-Modi is together or not, we will defeat
both on 400 seats, even in Jharkhand.
PC:
The current quarrel is on who will be Prime Minister of the country, Modi or
somebody else.
LPY:
That will never happen
PC:
Is Laloo Prasad Yadav in the race to become Prime Minister
LPY:
No I am not. Even if there is no tie up before elections, after elections,
secular powers will come together and all secular parties will consult together
and have a Prime Minister, bring back Common Minimum Programme. Will defeat
BJP.
PC:
You said you will bring back common minimum program, but who will be the leader
LPY:
All together will decide on the leader.
PC:
Will it be from Congress, or it can be somebody other than Congress
LPY:
Congress party, us, we will win, then we will all sit together and decide.
PC:
It is binding that it should be from Congress
LPY:
Is it binding that it should be from somewhere else?
PC:
You mean everybody will decide, like NDA says Nitish Kumar and everybody else
will decide
LPY:
No, their matter is different. Nitish Kumar is a parrot of RSS and BJP. Let
them create any wave, secular parties will win in decide in Delhi and
Hastinapura.
PC:
CPM, CPI and Left are not with you, Mulayam is not with you now, Mamta is not
with you,
LPY:
Then is she with BJP? Is she with RSS? Is Mayawati with RSS? Is Mulayam Singh with
RSS?. We will all sit together (on the issue of Prime Minister)
PC:
Which means it could be from any party
LPY:
It can be, we will all sit together
PC:
You could be the one
LPY:
I would not be the one. I will be with people to get them together.
PC:
You will be kingmaker
LPY:
Certainly, I will be kingmaker
PC:
But will not be the king
LPY:
I will not become King
PC:
All secular parties will get together to keep BJP, RSS out, and there can
be a leader from any of these parties, it can be from Congress or any other
party.
LPY:
We will sit and decide
PC:
It is an open issue
LPY:
Certainly. If any party comes up with their candidates, how can I have a say in
that. But my view is that be it Congress party, left or us, everybody will win,
come together, and will form the government.
PC:
Will the Prime Minister be from the single largest party or it could be anyone
who is acceptable to everyone.
LPY:
It depends on the single largest party. Even the one who have won less seats
have responsibility to see to it that they support the biggest party.
PC:
You will support the Congress party
LPY:
Why not?
PC:
You are saying everybody will get together, make common minimum program,
secular agenda and choose a leader
LPY:
We have to keep them out, even if we contest separately, we will come together.
PC:
Is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh doing good work
LPY:
yes.
PC:
Or will Rahul be a good Prime Minitser
LPY:
Please don’t compare the two and create rifts.
PC:
Who can create rifts when Lalooji is there
LPY:
Now, Rahulji is not on the post of Prime Minister or an ministerial post. He is
working hard, he is young. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is a good human being,
we are continuously helping him. These are issues of the Congress party.
PC:
I am asking your personal opinion that is Rahul Gandhi eligible to become Prime
Minister
LPY:
What is the problem if Congress party wants to make him one? You want to
create fights. When Congress party gets a change, then it is duty of the
Congress party to decide
PC:
Without Gandhi parivaar, Sonia or Rahul, because you speak lot of positive
things about Soniaji, praise the work done by her, do you think there is a
Congress without them like there is no RJD without Laloo.
LPY:
It is true that they are the Centre Point.
PC:
Without them Congress is zero
LPY:
Please listen, they are not zero, everybody has a contribution, but there
should be one Centre. Like Laloo Yadav is centre in his party. In Congress
party, Sonia Gandhi and this family has a contribution. This does not mean that
I am playing a middleman’s role. In the country’s politics, Sonia Gandhi has
seen so much; she is great and strong lady, so many things were said.
PC:
Sonia Gandhi is the soul of the Congress
LPY:
Certainly.
PC:
One cannot dream about the Congress without her
LPY:
No, it is not so, everybody is together. Sonia Gandhi takes everybody together.
PC:
You have decided even if Congress does not like you, you would be with the
Congress.
LPY:
I am against communal forces
PC:
What will be your message in Bihar
LPY:
Decide whether you want to save or break the country, make NDA lose on each
seat
PC:
Which means you will give national slogan, will not take up local issues
LPY:
Local issues like I developed railways, now I will go all round development. He
(Nitish) has not opened even a needle factory. All is development slogan is
humbug. Development slogans by him are mischievous.
PC
:You are saying Nitish Kumar, Modi have done no development
LPY:
What have they done, they have done nothing. All the Government of India
programs, Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, highway, Prime Minister road scheme,
ration at Rs. 2, Rs. 3, these are all our schemes
PC:
You are president of Bihar Cricket Association. You said BCCI is Ali baba’s team,
what does it mean?
LPY:
This is all a money game. When IPL was formed, you know when IPL allocation
happened, every person in parliament said that this should be stopped, there
should be action against gambling, now they are all together.
PC:
But you didn’t make any statement
LPY:
I have said, the government should come ahead and take over.
PC:
BCCI should be taken over
LPY:
Certainly, take over and evict everyone
PC:
Then the spot fixing and betting
LPY:
The level has degraded
PC:
But it has politicians from every party
LPY:
Everybody was saying that politicians are thieves, they have made money, now
what has happened?
PC:
But politicians are present in this too, from BJP, Congress, you, Sharad
Pawar’s people.
LPY:
I am there, where Is any leader with me.
PC:
You didn’t say anything
LPY:
I have said that everything should be closed and government should take over.
PC:
Then why don’t you resign
LPY:
There is no recognition
PC:
No vote
LPY:
There is vote, but no match happens at our place.
PC:
Do you feel politicians should be part of cricket and sports
LPY:
Should not be, the government should take over, appoint better people, move
this game forward.
PC:
Sharad Pawar gave a statement that IPL should be inquired into Home Ministry,
CBI, do you agree
LPY:
I am in agreement.
PC:
There should be punishment for guilty
LPY:
Certainly.
PC:
Because credibility of politicians, actors is declining
LPY:
From Tharoor’s time enquiry should be held. One knows what is happening,
I am in Delhi since 1977. Even now I appeal to the government, that this should
be taken over and remove everybody.
PC:
Then write a letter to Prime Minister regarding the same
LPY:
Now that I am saying, will the news not reach the PM
PC:
You will not write letter
LPY:
Will write letter too, get me a draft, will also speak in parliament.
PC:
You feel that the way to clean sports is by letting government take it over
LPY:
Take over and clean and book cases against guilty
PC:
Now the order has come which states that political parties should come under
RTI
LPY:
This is all useless, no work is happening in the country, RTI is a useless
thing, all officers and offices are busy in this work, all offices are busy in
seeing who said what, it is useless.
PC:Hence
political parties should not be under RTI?
LPY:
Why should it be, no (party) should be
PC:
Then shut RTI
LPY:
Vice President said that he has appointed an officer, and questions are being
asked about the medical bills of all vice presidents before him. What is this?
PC:
Hence RTI is useless organisation you say
LPY:
It should be removed
PC:
Should it be abolished
LPY:
It should be abolished.
PC:
When you come to power, you will keep this on agenda and abolish it
LPY:
When we come to power, we will abolish all this.
PC:
Let see what will you do when you coming to power, will you becoming rail or
finance minister, or become Deputy Prime Minister, wont you become deputy Prime
Minister
LPY:
Will made everybody one
PC:
You will not become yourself
LPY:
Will make one
