Bihar: Lalu Prasad Addresses RJD Workers After 3 Years, Vows Not to Bow Before Fascist Forces

Patna: In his first virtual speech after being granted bail, ailing Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad on Monday sent a strong political message to thousands of party leaders, workers and supporters, saying “mit jayenge lekin jhukenge nahi”(will be finished but will not bow).

Sensing the significance of reaching out to people on the ground, Prasad, was addressing RJD workers and supporters on the 25th anniversary of his party’s foundation day, saying that he and his party will neither make a compromise nor change its old political principal for the sake of power.

“We have been fighting for long and will continue for people, particularly the marginalised,” he said in a reference to speculation doing the rounds here that RJD may deviate from its nearly two and half decades-old ideological line of secular politics and battle against communal politics.

"मिट जाएंगे पर झुकेंगें नहीं":- आदरणीय श्री @laluprasadrjd जी #राजद_रजत_जयंती pic.twitter.com/i8BcgZexM6

— RJD Muzaffarpur (@MuzaffarpurRjd) July 5, 2021

It is nearly after a gap of three and half years that Lalu Prasad, who was incarcerated in a Ranchi jail, got an opportunity to make a virtual speech to his party workers, supporters and followers across Bihar. He did not miss this chance to remind his supporters that he might be jailed under a conspiracy and forcefully be kept away from the state.

Like in the past, when the RJD supremo used to say that he would rather die than reach a compromise with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which he described as a “fascist and communal” force (he said this in August 2017 at the ‘BJP Bhagao Desh Bachao’ rally in Patna), he reiterated that there was no question of bowing before such forces.

The RJD chief was lauded by his party people and supporters for his clear stand toward their main political rival, the BJP. “Laluji is the only leader who never made a compromise with BJP and is known for his fight against fascist forces. We will follow him,” said Krishna Choudhary, who was among hundreds of party persons gathered here to celebrate its silver jubilee.

Another party supporter, Minto Singh, recalled that party leader Tejashwi Yadav (Lalu Prasad’s son) had rightly stated repeatedly that had Lalu Prasad joined hands with BJP he would have been considered 'Harishchandra' and would have become Chief Minister.”Laluji has strengthened our commitment to fight against BJP,” Singh added.

The RJD chief, who looked frail due to various ailments, targeted BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, without naming them, saying that goods and services tax or GST and demonetisation, followed by the COViD pandemic, had created an economic crisis, “yet some people are talking about Mathura after Ayodhya, which will be a new threat to oour social fabric.”

At the end of his speech, Lalu Prasad promised his party workers and supporters that he would visit them soon in each district of Bihar and directly interact with them. “My rivals projected my rule as’ jungle raj’ but it was actually a poor raj as poorest of the poor got a chance to raise their voice and it was heard. They reached the polling booths and challenged the old power structure on the ground”.

The RJD had made high-tech arrangements in all district headquarters, block level and panchayats, to celebrate its foundation day and to ensure party workers and supporters catch a glimpse and listen to Lalu Prasad after a long time.