Nitish Kumar freed Bihar from jungle raj, says Amit Shah

CHief government government minister Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from “jungle raj” in yesteryear 20 years, unification place minister Amit Shah said on Friday as he launched a scathing attack on former CM and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad, saying that the 15-year “jungle raj” of Lalu-Rabri pushed Bihar back by almost half a century, adding that Bihar lost its dignity, splendour, and excellence during the same time.“What era was that, in which Bihar became a sick state. In the 15 years of jungle rule alone, Bihar lost its pride, wealth, and knowledge. During the 15-year period of jungle raj, Bihar had lost all its dignity, splendour, and excellence of every kind. Imagine how those 15 years must have been... The period in which Bihar’s reputation declined...,” Shah said at the Intellectuals Conference in PatnaHe added: “Nitish Kumar has freed Bihar from jungle raj. PM Modi, over the last 11 years, has worked to develop Bihar. PM Modi’s 11 years have been a blessing to the poor.”Shah, who is in the state on a three-day trip, met Kumar in the morning, and later addressed a public rally in Saran district.Reiterating that the upcoming elections would be fought under Kumar’s leadership, Shah said: “We are fighting under the leadership of Nitish Kumar in Bihar. This time, the people of Bihar have the opportunity to celebrate Diwali four times. The first one is the one that comes on the occasion of Lord Ram’s return to Ayodhya. The second one has just finished. Nitish Ji and Modi ji have given ₹10,000 to women in Bihar. Third Diwali is the reduction of GST on 395 products to 5 per cent and 0 per cent. The fourth Diwali will be celebrated when NDA will come with the biggest majority, sweeping away Lalu, Rahul and company.”“During the 11 years of the double-engine government, the partnership between PM Modi and the CM has worked to restore Bihar’s lost dignity. Now, Bihar is ready to move forward. Bihar is ready to reclaim its position in the country’s politics, economy, education system, and agricultural system...” he alleged, and urged voters to opt for the “politics of performance” and dump “parties like Congress and RJD that promote dynasts”.Criticising the RJD’s poll promise of a government job to every family in the state, Shah sought to know from where the funds would be generated to pay the salaries.“There are 2.8 crore families in Bihar. Approximately 20 lakh people have government jobs. Now, Tejashwi Yadav has promised that he will give government jobs to 2.6 crore families. But to provide so many jobs, ₹12 lakh crore is needed, which is four times the budget of Bihar,” he said, calling the promise “completely baseless and misleading”. “From where will the money come from to pay the salaries?” he asked.During the rally at Saran earlier in the day, the Union minister took a swipe at the opposition party for giving a ticket to late gangster-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin’s son, Osama Shahab, asking how it can ensure the security of the people of Bihar if it fields such candidates. “I just saw the list of RJD candidates for the upcoming polls. The name of Shahabuddin’s son is on the list. You tell me, if RJD gives a ticket to Shahabuddin’s son, how can Bihar remain safe? You people need to remain alert about parties like RJD,” he said.The RJD has fielded Shahab from the Raghunathpur assembly constituency in Siwan, once considered the pocket borough of his father, who had been a multiple-term RJD MP.RJD spokesperson Mritunjay Tiwary hit back, saying: “Why is Amit Shah not saying anything on Anant Singh? Those who pass through the washing machine of the BJP are clean. Voters will decide. Late Shahabuddinn was made the MP by the voters, the people. Osama Shahab is an educated youth. Voters will also decide on him. In fact BJP has fielded more corrupt candidates.”Taking potshots at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in the state as “ghuspetiya bachao yatra” (save infiltrator yatra), Shah said that the BJP won’t allow illegal immigrants in the country.“You tell me, should the names of infiltrators be on Bihar’s voters’ list? We support the Election Commission’s initiative. Not just in Bihar, infiltrators must be removed from the voters’ list of the entire country. Rahul ‘baba’ is leading a ‘ghuspetiya bachao yatra’, let him do that,” he told the gathering in Patna.Senior Congress leader Premchandra Mishra said:“Home Minister Amit Shah’s desperate name-calling reveals BJP’s fear of the truth: our Voter Adhikar Yatra exposed how their regime deletes names of poor, Dalit, and minority voters from rolls to rig elections—’vote chori’ in plain sight. While they peddle hate to protect ‘Ghuspethiyas’ like Adani-Ambani cronies who infiltrate public wealth and loot billions, we fight for every Indian’s right to vote without fear. Bihar’s youth aren’t fooled by empty ‘infiltrator’ rhetoric—they want jobs, not jihad against the marginalized.”