New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) : Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Tuesday targeted the BJP over its allegation that the government took hefty bribes ("mota maal") while allocating coal blocks, saying it must answer about its links with the Reddy brothers of Karnataka.
"With regard to the 'mota maal' referred to by BJP leader Sushma Swaraj, we want to know who used to take 'mota maal' from the Reddy brothers of Karnataka?" Lalu Prasad told reporters here.
Lalu Prasad, whose RJD supports the United Progressive Alliance, said the BJP-led governments in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh need to be questioned on mining of large quantities of coal and iron ore.
"Let's have a discussion on all this first," said the RJD leader, adding the BJP did not want a discussion about their own states.
He said the BJP was disrupting parliament as it wanted to stall the passage of The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Reservation in Posts and Services) bill. "They (BJP) don't want it passed," he said
The Reddy brothers, two of who are former state ministers in Karnataka, are accused of illegal mining. One of them, Janardhana Reddy, has been in prison since Sep 5 last year. Karnataka is ruled by the BJP.
The BJP is demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over a CAG report faulting the government over allocation of coal blocks.
Congress also got 'Mota Maal' from Reddys: Sushma Swaraj
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, on Tuesday fired another salvo at the Congress saying that the ruling party got 'Mota Maal' (kickbacks) from Karnataka's Reddy brothers too. Sushma had on Monday alleged that Congress party had received hefty kickbacks in the coal blocks allocation.
"Laloo Yadav wants to know as to who got 'Mota Maal' from Reddy Bros? I would like to inform him and the country that the Mota Maal from Reddy Bros has also gone to the Congress Party. All the Mines were allotted to them by the Congress Government on the recommendations of the Congress Chief Minister. I demand that all documents related to the recommendations and allotment to Reddy Bros be made public. The country will then know the truth as to who got them the monetary benefits and who made recommendations for them. All the facts should be placed before the nation," Sushma tweeted on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the Congress party is likely to serve legal notice to Sushma Swaraj for her remarks in coalgate.
Attacking the Congress over the CAG report on coal blocks allocations, Sushma had said, "Inhe mota maal mila hai (The Congress has earned massive profits on the deal). Value of coal was at an all-time high. Everyone was desperate to get their hands on the mines. The Congress didn't want to adopt a direct route for allocation, they played a cunning game."