Reporters' Diary: Lalu mimics Narendra Modi

The Rs 1.25 lakh crore special development package for Bihar, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a government function in Arrah, has been criticised by the “grand secular alliance” for the manner in which he announced the package, saying, “I am here today to honour my promise... how much do you want? Rs 50,000 crore, 60,000, 70,000, 75,000, 80,000? I am announcing a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore.”

While Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has termed it to be a publicity stunt to woo the Bihari voter, Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, known to be an artful orator, called the BJP “Bharatiya Jumla Party”.

Further, during a speech in Patna, Mr Yadav, in the presence of his party’s workers, mimicked the Prime Minister’s style of oratory. Not only did he mock Mr Modi’s habit of emphasising facts in his speech but also imitated his facial expressions while announcing the special package for Bihar. According to him, while Mr Modi was insulting the people of Bihar by unfolding the package in the manner of a wager, gradually increasing the amount, “ABVP workers sitting in front hailed him by chanting his name ‘Modi! Modi!’… This is not the way a Prime Minister treats the masses. Today, every person of Bihar is feeling insulted. Bihar is not up for sale or auction.”

Divided by politics, United by elitism

The Allahabad high court order, making it mandatory for all those who draw their salaries from the state exchequer to send their children to government schools, has opened up a Pandora’s box of sorts and also forged a rare unity among politicians. After the court ruling, MLAs across party lines were heard discussing and debating the issue. The biggest surprise came from the Bahujan Samaj Party benches that has the maximum number of MLAs with children studying in premier public schools in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and even Delhi.

The Samajwadi Party too voiced its opinion in a collective manner against the high court order and MLAs were seen hotly debating the issue. When a senior MLA tried to pacify them by explaining how the court ruling could change the face of the education system, a young MLA replied, “It is easy for you to support the court ruling because your children have finished their education, but our children are still in school”.

Bharatiya Janata Party legislators were wary of expressing their opinion on the issue, but some did say that they would prefer to pay the fine rather than disturb their children’s education. Politicians in Uttar Pradesh prove how birds of a feather, always flock together.

Gogoi’s doublespeak

Congress-ruled Assam has opposed the central Land Acquisition Bill and plans to draft a land acquisition bill of its own. Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has threatened that he won’t implement the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation And Resettlement (Amendment) Bill, 2015, while terming it a move on the part of the Modi-government to give away the states’ prime lands and farmlands to corporates and big businesses.

But his argument failed the reality test when his opponents pointed out that Mr Gogoi had himself given away prime government land to the Tata group for a hotel for a token amount of just Re 1. He also allowed some businessmen to acquire farmlands in Jalukbari, near Guwahati, at nominal prices and resell it at a premium to industrialists by changing the land use.