Lalu, Sharad hit out at PM for his Dadri lynching comment

Patna: The Bihar poll scenario on Wednesday got galvanised following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Dadri lynching episode, with the leaders of grand alliance hitting out at him saying that his terming of the incident as unfortunate was too little and too late.

Reacting sharply, RJD president Lalu Prasad said, "What kind of breaking of silence is this ? ... Its like beating someone and then saying sorry ... This is no way."

"BJP, RSS and Modi are the same. They say something in the evening but their voice changes in the morning," Prasad posted on Twitter.

The RJD chief's strong reaction came following Modi's interview to Bengali daily Ananda Bazar Patrika in which he accused the opposition of indulging in "pseudo secularism" and "politics of polarisation", and described the Dadri lynching incident and the cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai as "undesirable and unfortunate".

In the interview, Modi also said that his government had nothing to do with either of the incidents.

Coming down heavily on Modi for his "delayed reaction", JD(U) national president Sharad Yadav said, "He (Modi) is quick to congratulate Indian cricket team on its victory but his reaction on Dadri lynching has come after a long delay."

His remarks should have come immediately after the tragic incident but it came too late, he added.

Congress General Secretary Shakeel Ahmad said there was a vast gap between words and deeds of the PM and BJP.

Countering the criticism, state BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi and NDA constituents Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) and Rashtriya Lok Samata Party (RLSP) came out in support of Modi's comments saying the it was the Uttar Pradesh government which was responsible for the lynching of Mohammad Akhlaq.

HAM chief Jitan Ram Manjhi and RLSP president Upendra Kushwaha slammed Prasad and the grand alliance for their adverse comments against Modi.

"It is the responsibility of the state government to maintain law and order. In Dadri, the Uttar Pradesh government failed to discharge its responsibility resulting in the unfortunate incident," Kushwaha said.

Echoing him, Manjhi said the secular alliance leaders were unnecessarily criticising Modi.

Campaigning for the second phase of poll for Bihar Assembly, slated to be held on Friday, ended today.