Lalu and Nitish take dig at each other at public event

Patna, Jan 18: Bihar Chief Minister

and his rival, RJD chief Lalu Prasad, got into a verbal spat at a public function organised by a local newspaper in Patna. Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde was also present at the venue.

The spat began when Lalu, in his speech said the state government was 'controlling' the media in an attempt to 'black out' news of rivals like him.

"A few persons in an attempt to create history are hogging all the space in the newspapers on the basis of lure of advertisements ... The newsmen are dishing out news that suits the government like parrots," he said.

Quoting Press Council Chairman Markandey Katju, Lalu said there's a drop in media reports in the state critical of the Nitish government.

Nitish too, didn't waste his opportunity. Taking a dig at Lalu, Nitish said that in the age of social media, even an old-time politician has now joined Twitter. "But in his days he (Prasad) used to decide which photo will be published in the papers", said Nitish.

"People forget the time when they used to decide which photograph and which news will appear on which page of the newspapers," Mr Kumar said.

Lalu replied that newspapers and TV can't sell without him.

"Please see his open admission, but I'm not so powerful and can't claim as Laluji's boasting," replied Nitish.

Nitish also requested the media to not publish his photographs and be critical of his government as much as possible.

"Nobody can say I ever telephoned any editor of a newspaper or electronic media to complain about any news ... There is complete freedom whether you give news in favour of us or criticise us," he said

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