Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad ask Shatrughan Sinha not to be 'silent'

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD president Lalu Prasad on Friday launched a book on Shatrughan Sinha here and urged the sidelined BJP MP not to remain "khamosh" (silent) and continue to speak the truth.

Both Nitish and Lalu launched the book 'Anything but Khamosh', a biography on actor-politician in his home town Patna.

Nitish, Lalu and Sinha showered praises on each other at the gala event where no BJP leader was present.

Noted personalities from different fields, including actress Poonam Dhillon, actor Shekhar Suman, acting Chief Justice of Patna High Court Iqbal Ahmad Ansari graced the occasion.

Sinha described Nitish as "brother" and praised him as an "able mukhiya (head) of shining Bihar."

Nitish reciprocated and described Sinha as "pride of Bihar" and said his association with him was "more of an emotional one than political."

Both, Nitish and Lalu assured Sinha they were with him and asked him not to get silenced irrespective of the fact that his own party was "ignoring" him.

Nitish described Sinha as "our MP" and hailed his quality of speaking frankly without any "compromise".

He urged Sinha to help start a film city in Bihar and promised all assistance for it.

The book, 'Anything but Khamosh' written by Mumbai-based journalist Bharti Pradhan, was first launched in Delhi by veteran BJP leader L K Advani in January.

In Mumbai, it was launched by Bollywood mega star Amitabh Bachchan.

The book launch function was also attended by Sinha's newly married son Kush Sinha and his wife. Lalu empathised with the sidelined MP and assailed BJP for

"using him to pull crowd and now throwing him in a dustbin."

Using the opportunity to attack BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said, "When the country is witnessing issues like JNU and Rohit Vemula case in Andhra Pradesh, Shatrughan Sinha should not remain khamosh (silent) and (should) continue to speak the truth unmindful of consequence."

He took a dig at the PM on preparation of his wax model in England.

"What will happen if the man's wax personality gets melted under influence of heat?" he quipped, adding, "I am going to write a letter to the PM on this."

Justice Ansari said he has read the book and finds similarity with Sinha's tough journey in films as well as politics to his success.

Actress Poonam Dhillon who has worked with Sinha in a number of films, described him as a "loving personality" and said after reading the book her respect for him has increased.

Shekhar Suman, who also hails from Patna, described Sinha as his "3 AM friend" who would himself pick phone at such an odd hour and extend help to the needy.

The author said the book describes Sinha's difficult journey in movies as well politics without a "Godfather".