Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Saturday said his party had nothing to do with the screening in a few places in Bihar of CDs containing footage of the post-Godhra riots.
The Election Commission has issued notice to the RJD asking if the screening of the CDs was 'not violative of the model code'.
The EC has asked the ruling party to explain the factual position pertaining to the showing of the CDs by 1700 IST on February 14.
Going back on his Friday's statement, Yadav said, "We have sent the CDs containing qawalis for use in campaigning with the permission of the commission." He said the commission was free to get the matter inquired.
On Friday, he had said there was nothing objectionable about the CDs. "We have already submitted the CDs to the state election office, which gave us the permission to show them. The CDs are only showing the incidents that took place in Gujarat," he had said.
Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar and Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary Arun Jaitley took strong exception to Lalu's volte-face and demanded that the EC take stern action against the ruling party for 'exploiting religion for electoral purposes'.
BJP leader Pramod Mahajan, who is also here to campaign for his party, said "Lalu needs those CDs to stop Muslims from going to Ram Vilas Paswan's LJP. Lalu Prasad has become doubtful of his M+Y (Muslim/Yadav) equation this time."
Lalu Prasad Yadav, talking to reporters at the Patna airport, pooh-poohed the allegation. He asked, "Do I need CD to get votes?"