Patna: Railway Minister and RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) president Laloo Prasad today (Aug 31, 2004) flayed the Karnataka Government for its changed stance seeking to drop charges against former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti and said he would complain to UPA (United Progressive Alliance) convenor and Congress president Sonia Gandhi against the move.

''It is absolutely wrong and against the law. I will complain to Sonia Gandhi,'' Prasad told reporters while reacting to the Karnataka Government's move to drop the charges against the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leader.

''I tried to contact Sonia Gandhi this morning but in vain. I will once again try to contact her on my return from Darbhanga,'' Prasad said before boarding his special saloon to proceed to Darbhanga to attend a function.

In a surprise u-turn, the Karnataka Government told the High Court yesterday (Aug 30, 2004) that it stood by a two-year old cabinet decision dropping charges against Uma Bharti against whom it had sought reopening of the rioting case in June last in a Hubli court.

Bharti, who resigned as Chief Minister last Monday (Aug 23, 2004) to appear before the court in Hubli, faced charges in a case of rioting in which five people were killed in police firing when she defied prohibitory orders to hoist the national flag at the Idgah maidan on the Independence Day in 1994.