BJP accuses Lalu Prasad Yadav of misusing Railway Minister’s post in IRCTC hotel scam

Hitting out at RJD supremo and former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav, his wife Rabri Devi, and his son Tejashwi Yadav following the framing of charges against them in the alleged IRCTC hotel corruption case, the BJP on Monday alleged that Lalu Prasad Yadav had misused his position as Railway Minister and directly influenced the tender process for awarding maintenance contracts of IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri.

Earlier, the Rouse Avenue Court framed charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, Rabri Devi, Tejashwi Yadav, and others under criminal conspiracy and related sections in connection with the alleged IRCTC hotel corruption case. The case pertains to alleged irregularities in awarding tenders for two IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure as Railway Minister.

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Addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that the “Lalu Prasad Yadav model” was simple: ‘Give land, get jobs’ and ‘Give land, get railway hotel contracts’.

“Tejashwi Yadav talks about changing Bihar, but a charge of Section 420 being framed against him by a competent court says it all,” Prasad remarked.

“Today, the court has framed serious charges against Lalu Prasad Yadav, his son Tejashwi Yadav, and his wife Rabri Devi. These charges include corruption and criminal conspiracy in the allocation of government property under Sections 120B and 420 of the IPC,” he added.

Explaining the background of the case, Prasad said, “It all began when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister between 2004 and 2009 during the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre. During his tenure, he misused his position and directly influenced the tender process for awarding maintenance contracts of IRCTC hotels in Ranchi and Puri.”

“What could be a bigger fraud than this — when someone in power, whether as a Railway Minister or a Chief Minister, misuses that position to loot public property and fill their own pockets, and then later claims to be a champion of social justice? There can be no greater deception with the people than this,” the senior BJP leader said.