Speaking at a press conference in Patna, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai launched a scathing critique of the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) 15-year governance in Bihar, spanning from 1990 to 2005. He unequivocally labeled this period as ‘unfortunate for the state,’ laying the blame squarely at the feet of the RJD.
From the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) state office, the veteran leader asserted that the RJD and Lalu Prasad’s family were solely accountable for the severe distress and decline Bihar experienced during their time in power.
According to Mr. Rai, the RJD’s administration was a dark chapter synonymous with rampant crime, brutal massacres, incessant kidnappings, and a general state of lawlessness he famously dubbed ‘jungle raj’.
He claimed that during their 1990-2005 rule, RJD transformed Bihar into a hotbed of heinous crimes like robbery, kidnapping, murder, and rape. ‘People lived in constant fear, afraid to even step out of their homes,’ Rai stated, adding that the situation was so extreme that even schoolchildren were not safe from abductions.
Presenting what he described as government data, Rai highlighted that over 32,000 kidnappings were reported in Bihar during this 15-year span. He went on to allege that kidnapping had evolved into a full-fledged ‘industry,’ with the Lalu family and the RJD acting as its primary ‘operators and protectors.’
Challenging Tejashwi Yadav directly, Mr. Rai demanded answers: ‘Can Tejashwi Yadav deny that over 32,000 kidnappings occurred under RJD’s watch? Can he deny that ransom negotiations were conducted from the Chief Minister’s residence, or that kidnappers enjoyed protection from his family? Can he truly deny that illicit kidnapping money flowed directly to the Chief Minister’s residence? The people of Bihar deserve answers, Tejashwi Yadav!’
The former Bihar BJP president and current Lok Sabha MP from Ujiarpur further alleged that 18,136 murders were committed in broad daylight during the RJD’s term. He claimed that a significant number of individuals implicated in these crimes were either RJD legislators, district presidents, or closely associated with the party.
Mr. Rai also accused the RJD of overseeing a ‘genocidal reign’ within the state. ‘Between 1990 and 2005, 59 major caste massacres claimed the lives of over 600 people,’ Rai stated, criticizing Lalu Prasad for allegedly showing no sensitivity towards these horrific events. He then issued another challenge to Tejashwi Yadav: ‘If you possess the courage, acknowledge that these massacres occurred in Bihar under your government’s patronage.’
Questioning the government’s response to these atrocities, Rai also brought up the alleged looting of shops in Patna during broad daylight for Mr. Prasad’s daughter’s wedding, an incident he believes the city’s business community has not forgotten.
Furthermore, Mr. Rai pointed to several high-profile corruption cases during the RJD’s rule, including the notorious fodder scam, the land-for-jobs scam, the bitumen scam, the IRCTC hotel scam, and the ‘soil scam’ at Patna Zoo.
Flanked by Bihar BJP media incharge Danish Iqbal and MLC Sanjay Mayukh, the Minister intensified his allegations, claiming that over 700 individuals, including more than 50 police officers, lost their lives due to electoral violence between 1990 and 2004. He further asserted that women in the state endured an ‘extremely terrifying and unsafe’ environment throughout the RJD’s tenure.
Concluding his address, Mr. Rai questioned Tejashwi Yadav’s current electoral promises: ‘Today, during election season, you’re making grand promises to the people of Bihar. But where were you when the state’s citizens were being systematically looted, and their lands, homes, and businesses were illegally occupied?’