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"Always, I Get The Blame"

Laloo Prasad Yadav has his hands always full. If it's not the fodder scam, there are train robberies. This fortnight, the feisty chief minister had another serious problem on his hands: a Dalit massacre, and a chain-reaction of violence. Excerpts fro

Private armies have been onthe rampage in the last week. Isn't it possible to keep a check on them?

Private armies like the Ranvir Sena are beingfunded by one caste in the state. It is being backed by the BJP, which comprisesfeudal elements and known destabilisers. Killings such as these are beingengineered to malign my government. Even though I have banned private armies, itis impossible to control their movements. They cannot hold public meetings, buthow can anyone stop their movements? And it is not written on anybody's facewhat his affiliation is.

But steps have to be taken.

Yes they have to be. I ampersonally conducting raids. Last night I visited brick kilns around Patnadistrict and rescued women who were being molested by landlord goons. (Hepresents a woman, Sangeeta, and her child—rescued personally by him). Takethis case as an example. The molestation was being carried out by known BJPleaders in the district.

Who are these BJP leaders?

Among others, C.P. Thakur, a former MP who I holdresponsible for funding private armies like the Ranvir Sena and attendingdinners at their houses. He has been a regular visitor at the house of Lac-hmanSingh, one of the key accused in the Haibuspur carnage. (At a press conferencelater in the day, Thakur said the chief minister's charge was bogus).

Are only upper-caste elements heading privatearmies?

A number of them are, but there is no doubt that there are feudal andlandlord tendencies amongst the backwards as well. I am quite aware of it and amwilling to take remedial measures.

What about the flow of illegal arms, which isin abundance in the state?

I am evolving a long-termstrategy to check these, but it cannot be made public. It is not necessary thatall administrative details have to be provided to journalists. Then even beforea policy is formulated, the goons would have devised a way to counter it.

What about the charge that some private armieshave the Janata Dal's patronage?

Ask the people who make such acharge to prove it! I suggest you move around the state and see for yourself.Here I am working hard to mitigate the sufferings of Dal-its, and feudalelements are out to defame me. They hold up trains and I get the blame, theyslaughter Dalits and I am held responsible. I have set up special courts to dealwith Harijan atrocities. I am going to identify the elements and demolish them.

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