Lalu calls on Dalits to unite against RSS-BJP nexus

A day after a Dalit family's house was set afire in Haryana, RJD chief Lalu Prasad here on Wednesday called on the Dalits and the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) to unite to fight against the RSS-BJP nexus.

"It is a matter of serious concern, Dalits are being burnt alive in the BJP ruled Haryana. It is high time Dalits and OBCs should unite to fight against the RSS-BJP, which are anti-Dalits-OBCs," the former Bihar chief minister told media.

The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief said he has dared the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to burn the RSS ideologue M.S. Golwalkar's book "Bunch of Thoughts", which he said, opposes reservation for Dalits and OBCs, but instead Dalits are being burnt alive in their rule.

"They are trying to end reservation and now started burning alive Dalits, who are beneficiary of the reservation. In fact, the RSS and the BJP have nothing to do with the poor, Dalits and OBCs," he said.

Upbeat after reports that the grand alliance of the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), Rashtriya Janata Dal(RJD) and Congress, has an edge over the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance after two phases of Bihar assembly polls, Lalu said it was certain that communal forces led by the RSS and the BJP have failed to polarise voters in the state.

"We have exposed their real face on reservation issue to development and false promises," he said.

Fifty assembly constituencies will go to polls in the third phase of ongoing Bihar assembly elections on October 28, followed by the fourth phase on November 1 for 55 seats, and the fifth phase on November 5 for 57 seats.