Amit Shah criticises Lalu for defaming Bihar through fodder scam

Patna: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a scathing attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad, accusing him of defaming Bihar in India and abroad with the fodder scam.

"What did Lalu Prasad do for the poor?" he asked while addressing a Cooperative Department event at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna.

Stepping up the attack, the Union Minister said, "Lalu and Rabri governments will be remembered for jungleraj, lawlessness and corruption."

He also shared: "Under PM Awas Yojana, 40 lakh houses have been built, ensuring a better life for the people of Bihar. But what was the situation in Bihar under RJD rule? Extortion, jungle raj, hooliganism, dacoity, kidnapping, and ransom demands were prevalent in the state. The RJD government was riddled with scams..."

He also highlighted the achievements of the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar.

"RJD's 'Jungle Raj' will be remembered as a dark period in the state's history," he said.

He asserted that whenever the RJD government came to power in Bihar, it led to the state's "downfall", while under the NDA rule, it developed.

"Under Lalu's tenure as a union minister in the United Progressive Alliance, Bihar received Rs 2.8 lakh crore from the Centre, while under PM Modi's 10-year rule at the Centre, the state has received Rs 9.23 lakh crore, significantly more." He said contrasting funding for Bihar during the UPA and NDA governments.

He promised that if the NDA is re-elected in the 2025 Assembly polls, it will reopen the sugar mills.

The Union Minister also announced that the NDA will contest the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections under Nitish Kumar's leadership.

He urged voters to re-elect the NDA with a huge majority, promising further development and stability in Bihar.

Earlier in the day, he inaugurated and laid foundation stones for various schemes worth more than Rs 800 crore in Patna.

(inputs from IANS)