Lalu lends support to Rahul, says PM should reply to charges

RJD chief Lalu Prasad today demanded the Prime Minister reply to charges of alleged corruption against him levelled by Rahul Gandhi, even as he compared Narendra Modi to 'Uncle Podger' for "messing up economy" by his demonetisation move.
Demanding the charges be probed under supervision of the Supreme Court, the RJD chief said, "The allegations levelled by Rahul Gandhi against Narendra Modi of receiving huge money is even a bigger quake than talked about. He gave details of sum of money with dates on which payments were made."
"The Prime Minister should reply to the accusation and if the allegations are wrong why does not he file a defamation suit against Rahul Gandhi?" he said.

"The Prime Minister should announce a high-level probe under supervision of the Supreme Court into the allegations," he added.
Launching a blistering attack on the Prime Minister for "ill-planned" demonetisation, Prasad mockingly described Narendra Modi as 'Uncle Podger'-- a bumbling character from Jerome K Jerome's 'Three Men in a Boat'-- for "messing up economy" and "pushing it towards anarchy".
"Demonetisation has flopped and those raising voice of people over anarchy caused by it are termed as traitors," he said as a retort to PM's comment on rivals at Varanasi.

Prasad whose party has already announced a dharna against scrapping of notes in district headquarters of Bihar on December 28 said later a rally would be held at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

He said he would tour the state before the rally.
Prasad claimed support of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and said Kumar has also dismissed plea of converting the country into cashless society.
He also supported Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's
assertions that "only 5-6 big families close to PM are eating into the wealth of the country".
The RJD chief said the PM had sought 50 days from people for ending the problems caused after demonetisation out of which only few days are left now.
"This (demonetisation) would also end up as 'jumla' like promise to give Rs 15-20 lakh to every citizen out of black money brought back home from abroad," he said.