Lalu: Mamata's budget 'impractical'
New Delhi (PTI) Dismissing Mamata Banerjee's
Railway Budget as "impractical", RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Friday said it was based on his achievements when he was at the helm and questioned the need for issuing a white paper on the situation of the ministry during his tenure.
"Banerjee's vision 2020 for railways is based on the achievements made during my five year's stint as Railway Minister," he said.
When asked if she read out a budget presented by him earlier, Mr. Prasad said, "She did not present the right budget of Lalu."
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Faulting Ms. Banerjee's decision to run double-decker trains and start new non-stop point to point (Duronto) train services he said, "They are impractical."
Reacting sharply to Ms. Banerjee's decision of issuing a white paper, Mr. Prasad said, "I do not know what is in her mind but there will be confusion due to this white paper thing...this is shortsightedness. But what fear one can have when he is right.
"Have I committed any fraud or is there any stealth that I should fear. Nothing was hidden in railway budgets for five years that I presented. They were studied by IIM, Ahmedabad, audited by CAG as also Railways. But if any body has any confusion, he can correct it," he added.
Mr. Prasad also accused Ms. Banerjee of discriminating against Bihar, saying that railway stations of his states do not figure in the list of model stations or the route of Duronto trains as announced in the rail budget.
Full text of Mamata Banerjee's Railway Budget speech
Highlights of Railway Budget 2009-10
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