Indian ministers live like Englishmen: Laloo
surreal_ravi
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2004 10:19:15 PM ]
PATNA: "The people of Bihar and his electorates were shivering in the
cold, when this minister was enjoying the warm weather of Goa at the
cost of the public undertaking", said Laloo Prasad Yadav in his
inimitable style.
His target: Union civil aviation minister Rajiv Pratap Rudy, who will
be his main adversary in case the RJD chief contests from Chapra
parliamentary seat. And the issue: The infamous bill of Rs 2 lakh paid
by the Airport Authority of India for Rudy’s holiday in Goa.
"This is the good feel factor of BJP ministers. The good feel factor
is not for farmers, unemployed youths and the poor. India does not
shine, only the Union ministers are shining.
"It is just confined to the NDA ministers. They eat chicken which is
priced at Rs 900 per plate", Laloo quipped.
"Before becoming Union ministers their faces were like Margo soap, now
they shine like Lux and Pears".
The RJD is all set to mill down the NDA with a series of corruption
charges. According to them, holidays in Goa is just the tip of an
iceberg and that the minister has used his influence to make AAI pay
huge amounts for all the "good things in life."
Laloo points out towards media reports that Rudi had ordered AAI to
pay for leading a debonair and luxurious life. A resident lawn, a
fountain, toilet, air conditioners, geysers, mobiles, greeting cards
and fancy wooden floors for his official residential house – all
at the poor man's expense – Laloo fumed showing the newspaper
report.
"Oil paintings have been ordered for his office at the cost of Rs 2.26
lakh", Laloo said insisting that a probe should be ordered against the
misuse of public funds by Union ministers.
"They (Union ministers) are living the life of Englishmen at the cost
of people's money," he remarked. He said that a move should be made to
recover the amount from Rudy's pocket.