Vaishali, Bihar:
Raking up the reservation issue, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) President Lalu Prasad today demanded 60 per cent reservation in government contracts for people belonging to Extremely Backward Castes (EBC).
"We demand 60 per cent reservation for EBC people in government work contracts and tenders. They are lagging far behind in this regard. RJD will agitate and ensure that they get their due," Mr Prasad said.
The RJD chief was speaking at the closing ceremony of the two-day function at Vaishali, around 52 km away from Bihar's capital Patna, on the occasion of RJD's 18th foundation day.
Like yesterday, Mr Prasad raised the 'Mandal' plank that had brought him to power in 1990.
Politics in Bihar had taken a sharp turn in the '90s after implementation of Mandal commission report providing reservation for OBCs in government jobs. The mandal forces had swept aside the Congress from power since then.
Janata Dal came to power under Lalu Prasad in 1989 and continued to rule the state till 2005 when Nitish Kumar, another OBC leader, who was with Lalu Prasad initially but parted company in 1994 to float a new party, gained power.
Mr Prasad also took potshots at state BJP leaders and said that their comments about him did not matter to him or the public of Bihar.
"Former Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi of BJP keeps saying so much about me. He forgets that I was like a scooter and he was like its spare wheel," Mr Prasad said.
The RJD chief said vested interests were spreading rumours that he was seeking Rajya Sabha seats for his wife Rabri Devi and daughter Misa Bharti.
"I am just working to unite the 'Mandal' or social justice forces. This is necessary to check the rise of communal forces in the country," he said.