Patna: Bihar governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday justified his meeting with RJD president Lalu Prasad, asking reporters, “If you visit a city to attend a function and you have old acquaintances there, would you not like to visit them? What is special if I called on one of my old acquaintances?”
Khan went to 10, Circular Road, the official residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi, in the state capital on Wednesday evening, a day after he arrived to take oath as the governor, and met the RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his son and the Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
Asked about his meeting with Lalu soon after he took oath as the governor at the Raj Bhavan, Khan said, “You tell me one thing. If you visit a city to attend a function and you have old acquaintances there, would you not like to visit them? What is special if I called on one of my old acquaintances? I wonder what is questionable in this matter.”
Khan also clarified that he knew Lalu Prasad since 1975. “I have come to his city with a new responsibility. Why should I not visit him to express my feelings for him?” Khan asked.
He also suggested the reporters “not to view all things through the prism of politics”.
To another question, Khan said he looked forward to a great tenure in Bihar, where he has come as a “sevak” (servant) to serve the people. “I will work for the welfare of the people of Bihar,” he said.
Earlier, Khan was administered the oath of office by Patna high court Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran during a function at the Raj Bhavan.
Patna: Bihar governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday justified his meeting with RJD president Lalu Prasad, asking reporters, “If you visit a city to attend a function and you have old acquaintances there, would you not like to visit them? What is special if I called on one of my old acquaintances?”
Khan went to 10, Circular Road, the official residence of former chief minister Rabri Devi, in the state capital on Wednesday evening, a day after he arrived to take oath as the governor, and met the RJD chief Lalu Prasad, his son and the Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.
Asked about his meeting with Lalu soon after he took oath as the governor at the Raj Bhavan, Khan said, “You tell me one thing. If you visit a city to attend a function and you have old acquaintances there, would you not like to visit them? What is special if I called on one of my old acquaintances? I wonder what is questionable in this matter.”
Khan also clarified that he knew Lalu Prasad since 1975. “I have come to his city with a new responsibility. Why should I not visit him to express my feelings for him?” Khan asked.
He also suggested the reporters “not to view all things through the prism of politics”.
To another question, Khan said he looked forward to a great tenure in Bihar, where he has come as a “sevak” (servant) to serve the people. “I will work for the welfare of the people of Bihar,” he said.
Earlier, Khan was administered the oath of office by Patna high court Chief Justice K Vinod Chandran during a function at the Raj Bhavan.