By IANS
Patna : Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Tuesday accused Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of violating principles of federalism by withdrawing security to him and his wife, leader of Opposition Rabri Devi.
He also accused Nitish Kumar of delaying several railways projects in Bihar by not providing land and water on time.
“Nitish Kumar has been violating the federal structure as his government has not only withdrawn my security but also that of Leader of Opposition Rabri Devi.
“The state government has also refused to provide accommodation to my security personnel, especially from the National Security Guards (NSG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), who had to set up their camps outside Rabri Devi’s official residence,” Lalu Prasad told reporters here.
Nitish Kumar said at his ‘janata darbar’ or public court here Monday that he had taken a serious view of Lalu Prasad’s criticism of the state government during his Oct 28 rally in Patna.
“I have written a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, requesting him to convene a meeting of the National Development Council (NDC). I have also written letters to all chief ministers as to how a union minister was misusing the central resources for criticising the state government. After all, everybody should respect the federal structure of the country,” Nitish Kumar said.
In response, the railway minister said: “I have not violated the federal structure. It is Nitish Kumar who is violating it.”
He said law and order in Bihar had totally collapsed and the state government had betrayed people with its failures on all fronts.
“The state government has provided a rickety bullet-proof car to Rabri Devi and it will be better if the government takes it back,” Lalu Prasad said.