Saturday, February 12 2005 11:07 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Days after posing seven questions to RJD (Rashtriya Janata Dal) president and Railway Minister Laloo Prasad regarding condition of Muslims during the 15-year rule of his party in Bihar, senior JD-U (Janata Dal-United) leader Nitish Kumar yesterday (Feb 11, 2005) fired a volley of questions to Laloo on the socio-economic lot of the Most Backward Caste (MBC) and invited him for a public debate.

"Laloo, who had come to power on the slogan of social justice, should answer my questions concerning socio-economic-political condition of the MBC during the 15 years rule of the RJD in the State. I invite him for a public debate on the subject,'' Kumar told reporters in Patna.

About 80 leaders were nominated by RJD for elections in the Rajya Sabha or State Legislative Council in the past 15 years, but very few of them belonged to MBC, he claimed.

Besides, the RJD, which is contesting 225 seats out of a total of 243 Assembly constituencies in Bihar this time, has given tickets to only seven candidates hailing from MBC, four less than what was in 2000 polls, Kumar claimed adding the JD-U has fielded 10 MBC candidates and the National democratic Alliance (NDA) 19.

Nobody from MBC section has been appointed as public prosecutor or Government prosecutor in any of the 38 districts also. Though there was no dearth of talents, why none from the MBC has been appointed to high posts of Bihar Public Service Commission, University Service Commission etc, he asked.

Due to faulty economic policy of the Government, 90 per cent of small/big industries were closed during the RJD rule, rendering many workers, mostly from MBC, jobless, but nothing had been for them, Kumar said and asked Laloo to answer these questions.