Modi flays Lalu for levelling charge against NDA govt

Patna, Feb 17: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today charged Railway Minister Lalu Prasad with sinister design against the ruling NDA government in the state on seeking loans from international funding agencies.

In an informal chat with mediapersons here, Mr Modi expressed concern over the reaction of Railway Minister charging the state government with ruining the people of Bihar in debt by taking loans from international financial agencies.''Mr Prasad is trying to derail the ongoing development works in the state by making such kind of irresponsible statements,'' he added.

''Mr Prasad holds an important portfolio and has also ruled the state along with his wife Rabri Devi for 15 years. Such type of statements are disturbing and he should desist from making such statement,'' Mr Modi maintained.

He further alleged that RJD's refusal to take loan during their regime was a lie. There was a debt of Rs 24642.12 crore on Bihar when the NDA government assumed the power in the state.

''In fact, the present government has taken less loan in comparison to the previous government,'' he said, adding ''our government had not taken loan from the market till date.

''World Bank provides loans at the rate of five per cent interest per year while other financial agencies charge 7 to 8 per cent,'' Mr Modi said, while citing the reason behind the state government's decision to seek loan from the World Bank.

UNI