Sushil Kumar Modi and Lalu Prasad

Patna, May 22: Deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi today took a dig at the RJD chief, Lalu Prasad, for praising Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha and questioning the law and order situation in the state.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of his weekly janata darbar at his official residence, Modi said: “It was obvious from the way Lalu admired Sonia Gandhi yesterday that he wanted to prove his proximity to the Congress. His praise must have embarrassed even the Congress leaders.”

Modi said: “Anybody watching the session must have realised why he was doing so. At present, Lalu is in the clutches of the CBI. He might have thought he would get some relief by praising Sonia.”

Participating in a debate on the Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development Bill in Lok Sabha yesterday, the RJD chief had heaped praise on Sonia, late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. He even justified the dynastic politics.

Explaining the relation between RJD and Congress, Modi said: “This is not the first time that Lalu openly supported the Congress. He backed the party during the Rajya Sabha poll in Jharkhand. It shows that the RJD chief is trying to get closer to the Congress. Now it all depends on the Congress. The party will have to decided whether it wants to go ahead with Lalu or not.”

Modi also described Lalu’s charge that the law and order situation had deteriorated in the state under the NDA rule as “ridiculous”. “Jungle raj and complete anarchy gripped the state during the Lalu-Rabri regime... People have witnessed it and they will not rely on what Lalu and his party say,” he said. On the UPA government’s completion of three years in the Centre, Modi said: “The performance of UPA-II in the last three years was disappointing. Even the alliance partners are not happy with the government.”

Doctors empowered

Modi said doctors at primary health centres in villages would be entitled to issue certificate to the physically challenged persons in place of civil surgeons. Instead of district magistrates, sub-divisional officers would now hold the power to grant money for widow and old pension schemes.