Raghuvansh Prasad Singh backs Lalu, cries conspiracy over Ordinance withdrawal

Senior Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Raghuvansh Prasad Singh on Thursday alleged that the UPA's decision to withdraw the ordinance on convicted politicians is a conspiracy by the Congress, BJP and Janata Dal (United) to ensure that Lalu Prasad Yadav is framed in the fodder scam case.

Singh, who was talking to media here ahead of Lalu's sentencing in a fodder scam case, said all the political outfits had earlier gave their opinion to reject the Supreme Court's order of July 10.

"The BJP wants that Laluji should be framed and try to gain political mileage out of it. The JD (U) also took into account the fact that it will gain if Laluji goes to jail. So, the BJP and JD (U) unitedly opposed this ordinance to ensure that it is not tabled in the Parliament," said Singh.

"The Congress Party became afraid and did not bring the bill. Later the Rasheed Masood case came up. The Congress saw that a member of their party is going to become the victim and eventually they brought the bill," he added.

Singh also used the occasion to target Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi.

"Later, Rahul Gandhi raised his objections which proved that the Congress Party is nothing, but whatever he says is of prominence," he said.

The UPA Government yesterday decided to withdraw the controversial Ordinance that protects convicted parliamentarians.

The reversal of policy was cleared at a short Cabinet meeting last evening, chaired by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.

"Having regard to the various concerns, which have been expressed in relation to the validity and advisability of the proposed Ordinance seeking to amend the Representation of People's Act, the Cabinet has decided to withdraw the proposal for promulgating the Ordinance as well as the Bill," said a Cabinet release.

In a major embarrassment to the ruling UPA, Rahul Gandhi had earlier on September 27 dubbed the ordinance to negate the Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers as 'complete nonsense', and said it should be torn up and thrown away.

Meanwhile, the proceedings have begun in Ranchi's Special CBI Court of P. K. Singh for announcing the quantum of punishment in a case of the fodder scam in which Lalu Prasad Yadav and former Bihar Chief Minister Dr. Jagannath Mishra have already been pronounced guilty along with 42 others.

Eight of them were sentenced on Monday, ranging from imprisonment of 1 to 3 years and fine ranging from 50,000 to 50 lakh rupees.

Lalu Prasad Yadav is currently lodged in Ranchi's Birsa Munda Jail and the quantum of punishment is likely to be announced through video conferencing around 2:30 in afternoon.