The Hindu : National : A historic budget, says Rabri Devi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 27, 2007
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National

National

A historic budget, says Rabri Devi

K. Balchand

Rabri Devi

PATNA: For Rabri Devi, Lalu Prasad is the best Railway Minister India has ever had.

The former Bihar Chief Minister holds her husband in high esteem after he delivered what she termed "a historic railway budget" for 2007-08. Ms. Rabri Devi took time off from her Assembly commitments to watch on television how the Railway Minister "single-handedly decimated" the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the floor of the Lok Sabha.

"They [the NDA] are shameless," Ms. Rabri Devi said. She criticised the alliance for "shouting and trying to prevent the man of the masses from reaching out and delivering to the common man a budget suited to them. The NDA is shouting because they are unnerved by the record profit of Rs. 20,000 crore that Mr. Lalu Prasad has registered."

On the other hand, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar criticised the manner in which the recommendation of the Railway Security Commissioner was being ignored on the increase in freight movements. He feared the tilt towards profits would impinge on the safety aspect in the coming years. Mr. Kumar accused Mr. Prasad of juggling figures to mislead the people. He claimed that the Railways had made the turnaround in 2002-03, and the measures taken then were yielding results now.

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