PM Modi tears into Lalu Yadav, 'Railways was made arena of politics'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi while flagging off Rajasthan’s first Vande Bharat Express train virtually on Wednesday, took an indirect swipe at RJD senior leader Lalu Prasad Yadav over an alleged land-for-job scam. PM Modi stated that there was a time when Indian Railways was made an arena of politics as people used to snatch the land of the poor in exchange for jobs in Indian Railways. 

He asserted, "It was the country's misfortune that an important system like railways, which is such a big part of the life of a common man, was also made an arena of politics... The condition was that there was politics in railway recruitment. By snatching the land of poor people, they were given a job in the railways." 

The unprecedented comment by PM Modi on former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav comes amid an ongoing probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged land-for-job scam. The probe agency has already filed a chargesheet in the case on October 2022 against Lalu and his wife Rabri Devi. The CBI, in the chargesheet, mentioned, "irregular/ illegal appointments of candidates were made in Central Railways, violating the norms, guidelines and procedure of railways".

Know about land-for-job scam 

The alleged land-for-job scam took place between 2004 and 2009 when Lalu Yadav served as a union railway minister in the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government at the centre. According to reports, the RJD leader made several promises to the job aspirants saying that they will be given employment in the Indian Railways in lieu of land. 

The probe agency has also found several such parcels of land that were allegedly registered in the names of Lalu Prasad Yadav's family members. These lands were allegedly given to the RJD leader by the people who received a job in the Indian Railways in return. All the accused including Lalu and Rabri Yadav along with others were also summoned by the probe agency on March 15, 2023. 

The investigation into the matter has also revealed that RJD leaders and other accused persons in the case conspired with the then CPO, Central Railways and GM, Central Railways, to give employment to aspirants in lieu of lands. It's also being said that the land which was given by the aspirants was purchased by the accused at substantially lower rates, as compared to the market. The investigation into the matter by the probe agency is underway.