RSS flag won't be allowed to replace Tri-colour: Lalu Prasad

Patna, Apr 4: Terming BJP and RSS as anti-dalit and anti-minority, RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on Sunday said that RJD would thwart any design of RSS to unfurl its saffron flag in place of national flag.

"BJP and RSS are anti-dalit, anti-minority, anti- Christian. People gave sacrifice for the national flag and now RSS wants to hoist its saffron flag. I declare that RJD will not allow Sangh's intention to fructify...We will blast its design," Prasad said.

To do this, the party would hold a meeting of MLAs, MLCs, office-bearers and workers from across the state after the panchayat polls, he said while addressing newly appointed party office-bearers of the state unit and workers.

Exhorting party workers to go to villages in order to make them aware of 'nefarious design' of BJP-RSS, Prasad said it is the need of the hour to aware people that forces like BJP-RSS is trying to implement the agenda of Golwalkar.

"Where is blackmoney? Rather, the Modi government is helping people in making black money into white money. People are fed up with this government," the RJD boss said. Coming down heavily on the alleged incidents of people hoisting Pakistan's flag and raising slogans in favour of separatists of Jammu and Kashmir, Prasad said, "This is happening in Narendra Modi's regime. We never heard such incidents prior to Modi assuming power at the Centre."

On RJD's stand on banning liquor, Prasad, who as the Chief Minister, had exempted toddy from tax net, said RJD is in favour of complete prohibition that includes whatever is considered as 'intoxicated'.

"The state government will look into the matter. There is scope of mixing toddy. So we need to be extra careful," Prasad said.

Asked about the 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan, Prasad said that "We should not take notice of such slogan." He said the party would celebrate the birth anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar on April 14.

The party's national committee comprising five vice-presidents, four general secretaries, one treasurer, nine secretaries and 56 members of national executive was announced today, RJD spokesman Mrityunjay Tiwari said.

The vice-presidents are former union ministers Raghuvansh Prasad Singh and Taslimuddin, Mangani Lal Mandal, Iliyas Hussain and Annapurna Devi, Tiwari said. The party has already declared the names of 52 office-bearers of state unit besides 22 cells of the party's state unit, he added.

PTI