Arnab's Republic 'anti-national', says Tejaswi Yadav; RJD boycotts channel

If Lalu and his son calls Republic anti-national, I take it as a compliment: Arnab Goswami

RJD chief Lalu Prasad's younger son and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Friday lashed out at an English news channel reporter during a press conference here and dubbed the channel "anti-national".

The ruckus took place at a press conference called by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief on the CBI raids at his residence earlier in the day.

When a Republic TV news channel reporter posed a query on the raids, an angry Tejashwi responded, "Your channel is an anti-national news channel."

"We have completely boycotted your channel," the state Minister said. Lalu Prasad was seen trying to calm his son.

Reacting to Tejashwi's remarks, Republic TV channel Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami said, "If Lalu and his son calls Republic TV anti-national, I take it as a compliment."

After the press conference, Lalu Prasad's supporters were seen signalling the Republic TV reporter to leave.

After its launch earlier this year, the news channel has carried out "exposes" on the RJD chief, alleging corruption and also on his "connection" with jailed Siwan don Shahbuddin.

The CBI on Friday carried out raids at the residences of Lalu Prasad, his wife Rabri and son Tejashwi Yadav, in connection with a case of alleged irregularities in leasing two railway hotels to a private company when he was the Railways Minister, a charge denied by him.