Shiv Sena-Lalu Yadav spat gets a new twist

NO FOLDING HANDS: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav presents his Budget on Tuesday.

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New Delhi: The political sparring between Railway Minister Lalu Prasad and Shiv Sena has taken a new twist.

On Monday, Lalu reacted angrily to an editorial in the Shiv Sena’s mouthpiece Saamna, which accused him making provocative speeches and instigating people.

"Bihar MLAs create a ruckus in the Assembly and tell Governor R S Gavai (a Marathi) to leave their state but these same people want to appease foreigner Sonia Gandhi (Congress president)," the editorial said.

The newspaper was referring to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MLAs shouting slogans against Gavai in the Assembly on Friday.

"Lalu, our Railway Minister, who thinks he is running the country now, is behind this instigation. He comes to Mumbai and makes provocative speeches. Is that required?”

“What is his relation to Mumbai? If you ask him that, Lalu fumes about national integration. When he feels the heat of this issue, he asks our Marathi Governor to leave Bihar — that is childish and immature," the editorial said.

In Delhi, Lalu reacted angrily, and said, “I have not said anything derogatory. All that I said is that just like old Muslims pray as they get older, Bal Thackeray should take Ram’s name and stop fighting.”

The editorial is the second instance of the Shiv Sena criticising Lalu.

Bal Thackeray on Thursday had accused Lalu of turning “Bihar into a hell”.

The row over north Indian immigrants started when Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray, estranged nephew of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray, accused “outsiders” of insulting Maharashtrian culture.