Heart patient Lalu Prasad Yadav gets organic vegetables as New Year gift from followers

Lalu Prasad Yadav | The former minister of railways was arrested in connection with the fodder scam. (Image: PTI)

RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav may be spending his time in prison, but that has failed to make any dent in his popularity among followers. Among thousands who crowded around the Birsa Munda Jail in Ranchi with a hope to meet Lalu on Tuesday to wish him New Year were two brothers who came with organic vegetables for their leader.

Ram Babu Yadav and Lal Babu Yadav, who, as per a Hindustan Times report hail from Bihar’s Chhapra district came with a carton of organic vegetables to the prison. The brothers, who are in their sixties had grown the vegetables organically which they handed over to authorities as a New Year gift to their leader.

The brothers claimed that they provided Lalu with vegetables as they wanted him to eat healthy food inside the prison. “Laluji has heart ailments and needs to follow a healthy diet. We brought these organically grown vegetables all the way from Chhapra especially for him,” Ram Babu was quoted saying in the report.

Lalu Prasad Yadav, former Minister of Railways and Chief Minister of Bihar,  has been imprisoned since last month after being convicted in the fodder scam case related to fraudulent withdrawal of Rs 89 lakh from the Deoghar treasury during 1991-94.

While the CBI court will decide the punishment tomorrow, concerns are there about the health of the leader who had earlier gone through a heart surgery. The leader has reportedly quit non-vegetarian food and his diet is based on vegetables, dal, and chapatis.

While he is allowed to receive and cook his own food inside the prison as he is a VIP prisoner, Lalu is allowed only three visitors every week as per the jail manuals. This meant that hundreds of supporters including the brothers who came with gifts for the leader on New Year had to return disappointed. Though RJD leaders are demanding a concession for Lalu and increase in the number of visitors, no such exception has yet been given.