File Photo: Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan
Union minister and LJP President Ram Vilas Paswan today attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad for "straying" from the path of Jai Prakash Narayan by joining hands with Congress and "disrespecting" the 'Loknayak'.
"Nitish and Lalu who could not give respect to JP have no moral right to take the name of Loknayak," Mr Paswan who visited JP Narayan's residence at Charkha Samiti in Patna and later went to Gandhi Maidan and Income Tax roundabout to garland the Loknayak's statue, told PTI.
Mr Paswan also said he was pained to see the poor upkeep of JP's statue by the state administration.
Dust was not cleaned and old rose beads were not removed from the statue and empty liquor bottles were strewn near the statue at the roundabout near Gandhi Maidan, he said.
Mr Paswan said NDA was committed to take forward the ideals of JP by infusing new energy in the youths for nation building.
The LJP chief mocked at his RJD counterpart for claiming the coinage of some slogans to be his own though they were actually given by JP.
He referred to slogans like "Lalu ka yah sandesh yuva bachao apna desh" which, he claimed, was originally given by JP.
Mr Paswan recounted his days during emergency when he was in Nepal and later on locked in Phuwarisharif jail in Patna as part of crackdown during emergency.