India moving towards totalitarian regime, emergency: Lalu

RJD president Lalu Prasad today alleged Narendra Modi government is taking the country towards "a totalitarian regime" and false security alarms were being raised to prepare the ground for imposing Emergency.

Prasad also likened the situation in Bihar under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to that of ancient Rome when emperor Nero was playing the flute while his kingdom was burning.

"A number of persons have been arrested for alleged Maoist links. Reports have also surfaced alleging that there are threats to the life of the prime minister. All this seems to be a ploy for clamping the Emergency in the country," Prasad told reporters at the airport here.

Maharashtra police yesterday raided homes of prominent Left-wing activists in several states and arrested at least five of them for suspected Maoist links, sparking a chorus of outraged protests from political leaders and human rights defenders.

"The country is inching towards a totalitarian regime," said Prasad, while leaving for Ranchi to surrender before a court tomorrow upon expiry of his provisional bail.

The septuagenarian leader, who was till last week convalescing at a Mumbai hospital, looked weary but managed to walk today. In the recent past, he was seen mostly on a wheelchair.

Asked about the law and order situation in Bihar, Prasad said, "There is no law nor any order left in the state. The prevailing situation reminds one of the era when Nero played the flute while his kingdom was on fire."