Saturday, February 12 2005 12:24 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Alarmed by the Election Commission's (EC) notice seeking explanation from ruling Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar on the display of CDs containing footage of the post-Godhra riots in Gujarat, its president Laloo Prasad today (Feb 12, 2005) took a virtual U-turn on the issue, while the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) mounted pressure on the EC to take action against the State's ruling party.

"RJD has nothing to do with the CDs and the Election Commission is free to get the matter inquired into," Laloo said in the wake of the Commission's notice to his party seeking to explain whether the display of such CDs was "not violative of the model code".

The State election office sources in Patna said that the Commission had asked the ruling party to explain the factual position pertaining to the showing of CDs by 17:00 hrs (IST) on February 14.

The Commission's strictures on the model code violation by the RJD for its rally in December and the issues relating to distribution of currency notes at Bihta by Laloo had already caused major embarrassment for the party ahead of the Assembly polls.

The use of CDs and display of posters on Godhra riots for votes have once again sparked off a row with the chief Opposition NDA stepping up pressure on the Commission to take stern action against the RJD.

NDA Chief Ministerial Candidate Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) General Secretary Arun Jaitley took strong exception to Laloo's volte-face on the CD issue and demanded that the Commission take stern action against the ruling party for "exploiting religion for electoral purposes".

"The display of the CDs on Gujarat riots by the RJD in Purnea and Kisanganj is in blatant violation of the EC directives as it is aimed at fomenting communal tension. I demand the EC to immediately ban it," Janata Dal-United (JD-U) Parliamentary party leader Nitish Kumar said.

"Laloo is in the habit of reneging on his statements after being caught on the wrong foot. It is not enough and the Commission should severely punish the RJD for becoming habitual offender," Kumar said before leaving for campaign.

BJP General Secretary Arun Jaitley said, "Mere warning by the Commission to a habitual offender like RJD will not serve the purpose. The EC should take effective measures to prevent such people from exploiting religion for electoral gains."

"The EC had banned use of material connected with the riots even during the Gujarat Assembly polls. The EC has deprecated use of religion for electoral purposes," Jaitley said.

Going back on his yesterday's (Feb 11, 2005) statement on the CDs issue, Laloo said, "We have sent the CDs containing quawalis for canvassing support after the permission of the Commission."

Justifying the display of CDs, Laloo Prasad had said there was nothing objectionable about them. Besides "we have already submitted the CDs to the State election office, which gave us permission to show these. The CDs are only showing the incidents which took place in Gujarat," he had said.