BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad on Monday strongly criticised INDIA bloc’s Vice Presidential candidate and retired Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, for meeting RJD chief and fodder scam convict Lalu Prasad Yadav.
BJP calls its ‘hypocrisy’
Prasad asked how a retired Supreme Court judge could meet someone convicted in a scam, especially when that person isn’t even a voter or a member of parliament. Calling it “hypocrisy,” Prasad said that Reddy should not talk about saving the nation’s soul while seeking support from a leader facing multiple corruption cases. He also reminded that apart from the fodder scam, Lalu Yadav has been chargesheeted in the “land-for-jobs” case.
“This is hypocrisy in extreme, and we condemn it outright. It is worthy of condemnation,” Prasad said.
Prasad was addressing a press conference in Delhi, where he said that judges, whether sitting or retired, are respected, but once a judge enters politics and makes big claims, people will naturally question them.
He also pointed to Reddy’s newspaper article where he had said, “Vote for me to save the soul of the nation.” According to Prasad, Reddy spoke of the “temple of democracy” and “conscience,” but said his actions contradicted those lofty words.
BJP leaders double down on criticism against Reddy
Earlier in the day, BJP’s Amit Malviya had also attacked Reddy for meeting Lalu Prasad. In a post on X, he said the meeting was “a shocking statement on probity in public life by someone aspiring for a high constitutional office.” Malviya also criticised retired judges for staying silent on the matter, calling it “hypocrisy.”
The Vice Presidential election, scheduled for September 9, will see a direct fight between INDIA bloc’s candidate Justice (Retd.) B. Sudershan Reddy and NDA’s nominee CP Radhakrishnan.