India: PM rejects demand for Lalu's dismissal

New Delhi, April. 27 Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, today virtually rejected the Opposition demand for the dismissal of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, in the wake of framing of charges against him in a fodder scam case.

"These are hypothetical questions. We will cross the bridge when we reach there. Today there is no change in the situation," Singh told NDTV when asked about the Opposition demand and in the event of Supreme Court rejecting his bail plea likely to come up on May 10.
On the NDA accusation of "political opportunism" levelled against him for retaining Prasad because of his numbers essential for the UPA Government, he said "Well, I have been accused of many things and I cannot comment on them."

On the Opposition decision to boycott Parliament for three days, Singh said all he could say was that he could appeal to the good sense of the Opposition.

"I took the initiative this afternoon to speak both to L K Advani and Jaswant Singh. I mentioned to them that it does not augur well for the future of our polity for the second year in a row that the financial business of the Government is transacted without the presence of the principal Opposition party.

"I requested them to reconsider their decision. I said everything can be discussed on the floor of the House. Whatever the grievances, let us create an atmosphere in which we can debate all these things," he said.