Rajniti, a lawyer by profession, shot into limelight after he tore the copy of Lokpal Bill in the Rajya Sabha last Thursday (Dec 29).

“It was at the spur of the movement that I did it. Nor had Lalu Yadav asked me to do so. However, he strongly supported me after the incident,” the Rajya Sabha MP told this correspondent at his home in Mahendru in Patna on Tuesday.

Rajniti Prasad was critical of the smear campaign of the media against him. They even do not know what type of questions should be put up. “One of the journalists asked me Aap ko Sharam nahin aya Bill ko phatne mein (Did not you feel ashamed while ripping the Bill apart). I replied: did not you feel ashamed in asking such absurd question. It is a democratic way of protest. After all I just tore the copy of the Bill and not the original Bill,” he clarified.

He came down heavily on the media of Bihar in particular. “Press outside the country and even in some places outside Bihar, for example West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh, highlighted the news positively,” he said.

Rajniti Prasad, originally from Munger district of Bihar, started his political career with Charu Majumdar-led movement in mid-1960s. “In fact I was once jailed too. But I left the movement when it picked up gun. It was gun which killed Gandhiji and it is the gun-culture which is destroying the country,” he added.

After that he became a disciple of late Socialist thinker and writer, Madhu Limaye, and continues to be so even after his death. Perhaps he had been the only leader left who organizes his death anniversary in Patna every year. This year too he is going to organize the 17th condolence meeting of Madhu Limaye on January 8 evening at A N Sinha Institute. The theme of the discussion is: Challenges Before Democracy.

During his youth days he was with Samajwadi Yuvjan Sabha and has been in company of Lalu Prasad Yadav since then and had never ditched him any time.

“On March 31, 2012 I am going to retire from Rajya Sabha. I know that RJD has no strength in Assembly to send me to Rajya Sabha any more. Whether it has the number or not I am always with Lalu Yadav. I am not of that stuff who turn coats,” he said openly hinting at men like Shyam Rajak, Shivanand Tiwary, Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Ranjan Yadav and others.

Rajniti, who still travels on cycle-rickshaw and auto, prefers to stay in Patna rather than live in Delhi. “My MP quarter in Delhi remains locked. I go to Delhi just to attend the session of Rajya Sabha,” he said.

Repeatedly justifying his step he said: “I am not of Ranjan Yadav type who was sent to the Upper House twice but spoke nothing on any issue. Lalu Yadav gave him half of Bihar, but he ditched him finally. See the record of Rajya Sabha. I have spoken on most of the issue,” he added.

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