The JD(U) on Tuesday threatened legal action against the Bihar BJP chief for alleging that liquor was served at a feast organised by the ruling party's national president Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan, notwithstanding the state's stringent prohibition law.
At a meeting chaired by state JD(U) chief Umesh Singh Kushwaha, a "ninda prastav" (censure resolution) was passed against Samrat Choudhary, the Bihar BJP president, who had on Monday made the allegation.
Lalan had organised a feast on Sunday at Munger, his Lok Sabha constituency, where the guests were treated to a sumptuous lunch of rice and mutton curry.
However, the number of visitors had reportedly far exceeded expectations, and security personnel had to step in and shove many people away to maintain order at the venue.
Choudhary had sneered at the episode and alleged that even liquor was on offer, in an obvious bid to put on the spot Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the JD(U)'s supreme leader, who, though not present at the feast, has been propagating the virtues of prohibition with a missionary zeal.
The state government imposed a ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol in 2016.
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"Despite coming from a reputed political family, Samrat Choudhary lacks decency. He should remember that he had himself enjoyed mutton curry at a similar feast hosted by Lalan at Munger in 2019," Kushwaha said.
Notably, Choudhary's father Shakuni Choudhary was an old associate of Nitish Kumar and a founding member of Samata Party, as the JD(U) was known in an earlier avatar.
Samrat Choudhary started his political career with brief stints in JD(U) and RJD and, since 2017, he has been with BJP, which was an ally of Nitish Kumar till August last year.
Kushwaha said, "The party's Munger unit president is directed vide this censure resolution to lodge a defamation case against Samrat Choudhary, unless he tenders a public apology or comes out with some evidence in support of his allegation."
Meanwhile, the BJP chose to twist the knife. Leader of the Opposition Vijay Kumar Sinha came out with a stinging statement.
"Instead of issuing pointless statements, the JD(U) would do well to ask its government to also probe the quality of meat served in Munger. We have learnt that since the feast, there has been a drop in the number of stray dogs," Sinha said.
"Let there be a timely inquiry which could prevent an outbreak of diseases caused by meat not fit for human consumption", said Sinha, adding "JD(U)'s links with liquor smugglers is well-known. Let the Nitish Kumar government get Samrat Choudhary's allegation probed by a sitting judge of the high court".
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