BJP asks Nitish to break silence, identify corrupt

The BJP today sought to corner Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar after RJD workers clashed with its functionaries in Patna, and asked him to break his silence and identify the "corrupt", a reference to his ally and RJD president Lalu Prasad.
"These who opposed demonetisation are today found to have black money. One should not forget that people will progress only when democracy becomes corruption-free. Nitish Kumar should answer as to who is corrupt. Why is he silent?" BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav asked.
Yadav, who is in-charge of his party's affairs in Bihar, accused the RJD of resorting to violence in response to legal action against corruption.

"Is this a democratic way of protests that its workers remove their clothes and wield lathi at the office of a political party?" he asked in a statement.
At least six persons were injured in a clash between BJP and stone-pelting RJD workers outside the BJP office here, a day after Income Tax (I-T) raids in connection with alleged benami property deals involving Prasad.
The saffron party has been asking Kumar, its one-time ally, to come out against Prasad following a Supreme Court order that he would stand trial in more fodder scam cases and then the I-T raids.
Bihar BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi had even suggested that his party may consider supporting Kumar if he breaks his ties with Prasad. The central leader has, however, refrained from making any overtures to him.