Shameful, how Bihar MLC 'harassed' a woman leader and left the BJP red-faced
BJP MLC Lal Babu Prasad, currently suspended, likes to watch movies on television. That’s what he mentioned as his hobby on the Bihar Legislative Council website, of course after listing social work in the first place.
But the movie lover apparently forgot how life changes in the reel life — for the worse — for those who disrespect women.
It all started when LJP MLC Nutan Singh, wife of BJP MLA from Chhatapur constituency in Supaul district Niraj Kumar Singh (‘Bablu’), alleged that Lal Babu behaved inappropriately with her on the Council premises on March 29.
She called up her husband, who then allegedly thrashed Lal Babu in the Council premises. Niraj also informed Bihar BJP president Nityanand Rai, and the saffron party cracked the whip, suspending Lal Babu Prasad’s primary membership of the party.
In fact, the party’s tallest leader in Bihar, Sushil Modi, even tweeted action against Lal Babu.
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| Bihar's deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav has stepped up the heat on the BJP. |
A day after the MLC was dropped from the state party working committee and two days after he allegedly behaved inappropriately with a party colleague's wife, Bihar Legislative Council chairman Awadhesh Narain Singh referred the issue to the ethics committee, besides dismissing Lal Babu from the chairmanship of the Council’s environment and pollution control committee.
But this is just the beginning of the trouble in store for Lal Babu, as the ethics committee proceedings may lead to the end of his legislative inning, a year before he completes his first term in the Legislative Council. Lal Babu’s involvement, if proved, can lead to termination of his membership and he may even face criminal charges.
Picked by the BJP as its state vice-president in 2004 — a crucial post where he continued till his inappropriate behaviour brought him down — the 55-year-old politician, who comes from a family which used to run a ration shop in Narkatiaganj in West Champaran district, has always punched above his weight in the BJP in Bihar.
His big chamber in the Bihar BJP office always suggested his formidable clout in the party.
As vice-president, he held several crucial jobs. In fact, when the BJP purchased lands in several Bihar districts just before demonetisation was announced on November 8 — which triggered a huge controversy later — Lal Babu was one of the three signatories on behalf of the party.
The Lalu Babu episode also gave the ruling grand alliance members an opportunity to attack the BJP in Bihar. While RJD chief Lalu Prasad questioned what BJP members would do outside the house if a state party functionary can misbehave with woman inside the house, it was Lalu Prasad’s younger son and deputy chief minister Tejaswi Yadav who stepped up the heat on the BJP on the issue.
For Lal Babu, who rose from the ranks to become party’s vice-president in Bihar, it was clearly horrible to do such a thing. It was a wrong step at the wrong time, with the wrong person and also at the wrong place. Nobody can escape after making so many mistakes simultaneously, and no wonder the BJP has dropped Lal Babu like a hot potato.
But in hindsight, shouldn’t the BJP introspect how it picked and promoted such a person in the party? Some food for thought!
(Courtesy: Mail Today)