Date:14/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/14/stories/2008101454701100.htm

National

Lalu not to visit Rae Bareli

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Railway Minister Lalu Prasad has decided not to go to Rae Bareli for the bhoomi pujan ceremony for the proposed rail coach factory at Lalganj on Tuesday after the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High court ordered status quo on the Uttar Pradesh government order withdrawing allotment of land for the unit till the disposal of the main petition filed by the Union government.

Mr. Prasad has taken the view that the matter is sub-judice and his Ministry will initiate no action for setting up the coach factory until the court disposed of the petition filed by the Northern Railway challenging the Mayawati government order.

Mr. Prasad was scheduled to attend the function on Tuesday along with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi.

Mr. Prasad says the land was allocated to the railways for which it paid Rs. 9 crore. The Railway Ministry maintains the land was allotted by the gram sabha itself and it was in possession of the papers.