PM should reprimand Lalu on SIMI: BJP

Vijayawada, Aug 18 (UNI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Andhra Pradesh unit President and former union minister Bandaru Dattatreya today demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reprimand his colleague and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad for showing sympathy towards Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Addressing a press conference here, he said it was unfortunate that Mr Prasad and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mulayam Singh Yadav hailed the judgement of lifting of ban against SIMI by the special tribunal of the Delhi High Court, even though the apex court had stayed the tribunal judgement.

He alleged that Mr Prasad also had said the innocent Muslims were being harassed while the Information Bureau (IB) department, which worked under Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil had reportedly given information that SIMI activists were behind the serial bomb blasts in the country.

The Prime Minister should explain why the Railway Minister was talking in favour of SIMI even after the arrest of Abul Bashar Gasni, alleged mastermind behind the Ahmedabad serial bomb blast, he said and added it was disheartening that Mr Prasad was still continuing in the Cabinet.

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