BJP wants to communalise the entire atmosphere, many Hindus also eat beef in India, says Lalu Prasad

RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on Saturday came under strident opposition attack for his statement that some Hindus eat beef. Lalu said Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wants to communalise the atmosphere in the entire country and no one should eat meat as it leads to diseases.

"They want to communalise the country. Hindu doesn't eat beef? One who eats meat doesn't think whether it is chicken or mutton. No one should eat meat as it leads to diseases," the RJD chief said.

Training his guns at Lalu , Home Minister Rajnath Singh said he is playing politics over beef consumption. "Lalu is doing politics over beef. He should stop making such comments. He should tell who looted Bihar for 15 years."

Lalu's statement cones in the midst of election campaign in Bihar which will vote in five phases starting October 12. Counting of votes will take place on November 8.

Lalu's Rashtriya Janata Dal is fighting Bihar Assembly election in alliance with Janata Dal United and Congress. The alliance known as Mahagathbandhan faces a tough challenge from the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance.

The debate over beef consumption has dominated the political discourse in the last few days following the killing of a man in Uttar Pradesh.

The 50-year-old man Mohammad Akhlaq was lynched in the Dadri in Greater Noida of Western Uttar Pradesh just because he was rumoured to have eaten beef. A mob broke into the man's house and attacked him, his son and even the women in the house. Akhlaq was beaten to death by the mob while his son was left severely injured.