The former Union Minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad on Saturday resented the Election Commission action of covering elephant statues in Uttar Pradesh as they happened to be the party symbol of the ruling BSP.
When reporters sought his reaction to the EC's decision, Mr. Prasad said, “It is getting involved in totally useless pursuits.”
He sought to know what purpose it would serve. “Are you [EC] going to break my lantern [RJD's election symbol] too?” he asked.
The RJD chief wondered how the EC would deal with symbols like hand (Congress) and cycle (SP) and said he did not favour covering only one party's symbol.
As regards the 4.5 per cent reservation granted to minorities as a sub quota within the 27 per cent earmarked for OBCs, Mr. Prasad said his party favoured 15 per cent reservation for the minorities and if need be the Constitution should be amended.
Replying to another query, Mr. Prasad condemned ink being flung at yoga guru Baba Ramdev and called for strict enforcement of law to deal with such incidents. According to him, people were trying to get cheap publicity by indulging in such attacks, be it slapping Union Minister for Agriculture Sharad Pawar or hurling slippers at other leaders.
The RJD chief however declined to comment on the Lokpal Bill which was stalled in the Rajya Sabha.
