The BJP on Thursday requested Election Commission to withdraw an FIR against party chief Amit Shah for his “chara chor (fodder thief)” remark made against RJD leader Lalu Prasad during a Bihar Assembly poll rally.
A delegation, led by senior Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, that met the EC at the Nirvachan Bhavan on Thursday evening also sought action against some state bureaucrats whom they accused of discharging their duties “under pressure” from the state government.
“An FIR has been registered against the president of a national party. It is very objectionable. We have brought it to the notice of the EC and put forth the facts and requested panel that they should hold an immediate inquiry and this FIR should be withdrawn,” Naidu told reporters. Naidu stated that the case was lodged “under pressure from the local government” ruled by outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
BJP sources said that technically “chara chor” is statement of fact since Lalu Prasad has been convicted in a fodder scam case and cannot be construed as a personal attack which is a violation of model code of conduct. The delegation, which also comprised Union Ministers Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Nirmala Sitharaman, also sought the commission’s attention to hate speeches delivered by Lalu and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi.
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