Patna: RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Friday accused BJP president Amit Shah of insulting nearly 11 crore Biharis by saying firecrackers would be burst in celebration in Pakistan if the BJP loses in the Bihar assembly polls. He said Shah has "gone mad".
"Amit Shah has insulted all Biharis, including Hindus, Muslims, Dalits, OBCS by terming us as Pakistani. It has again exposed his mindset for us," Lalu told the media minutes before leaving for his nine election meetings on Friday. It is the last day of campaigning for the fourth phase of the on-going state assembly polls.
"Bilkul pagal ho gaya hai. Poore Bihar ko apmanit kar raha hai. (He has gone mad. He is insulting entire Bihar)," said Lalu a day after Amit Shah during his election rallies said firecrackers would be burst in celebration in Pakistan if the grand alliance - and not the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance - formed the next government.
Lalu said it is not a cricket match between India and Pakistan that firecrackers would be burst if India is defeated. "BJP is not India and Bihar is not Pakistan."
"If the Bharatiya Janata Party is defeated in the Bihar assembly polls and does not form a government, firecrackers will be burst in Pakistan," Shah said at an election rally in Raxaul on Thursday.
The BJP president said jailed criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin would benefit the most if a government led by Nitish Kumar and Lalu Prasad comes to power in Bihar.
Shahabuddin, a former parliamentarian, is currently lodged in Bhagalpur Central Jail.
Lalu said: "It is a below-the-belt attack against all Biharis by Amit Shah. People will teach him and his party a hard lesson in the polls."
"Such statement of Amit Shah has certain motive to play communal card but he and BJP will not succeed in their design in Bihar".
Lalu Prasad reiterated that the grand alliance of the Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the COngress will form the next government in Bihar.