Bihar: Amit Shah promises to reopen all closed sugar mills, hike in Kisan Nidhi

Amit Shah appealed to Bihar electors to cast votes to prevent the return of ‘jungle raj’ that saw kidnappings, murders and atrocities in the city

BETTIAH/ DARBHANGA: Union home minister Amit Shah promised to reopen all the closed sugar mills in Bihar and open new ones during his public meetings in two districts of Champaran on Tuesday. He also said that ₹2 lakh will be deposited into the Jeevika accounts over the next five years, if the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) returns to power, and promised to enhance the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi from ₹6,000 to ₹9,000 annually for small farmers.

Union home minister Amit Shah during a public rally in Bihar’s Madhubani on Monday. (@AmitShah X)

Addressing an election rally at a government school ground at Mainatand in West Champaran district, Shah appealed to electors to “cast votes to prevent the return of ‘jungle raj’ that saw kidnappings, murders, atrocities.”

“During the Lalu rule, more than 20 sugar mills were rendered redundant and had to be shut down. But we reopened a sugarmill at Righa (in Sitamarhi) and mark my words all the closed down mills would be reopened in the larger interest of the farmers of Bihar and five new mills would be set up,” said Shah, while seeking votes for all the nine NDA candidates in West Champaran, where the NDA had won eight seats in the 2020 elections.

“Lalu Prasad and his son and partymen raise the slogan of Shahabuddin Zindabaad. Do you want to bring back the jungle rule in Bihar? The people of Bihar and jeevika didis would not let them succeed in their design. If you make a mistake while voting on 6 or 11 November, jungle raj will return which will lead to the rise of loot, kidnappings, murders, atrocities. Nitish Kumar’s 20-year rule and PM Modi’s 11-year regime at the Centre have remained fully “transparent” with no corruption charges levelled. The double engine government is committed to propel the development of Bihar to the next level,” said the home minister, while seeking votes for 12 NDA candidates at Chakia in East Champaran.

Shah attempted to draw a parallel among Mughals, Briton and INDIA block’s Congress and RJD supremo over the Ram temple issue.

“The Ram temple was destroyed by Babur first about 550 years back. Then the Briton, followed by Congress and Lalu Prasad,” he said.

Addressing a rally at Jale Assembly constituency of Darbhanga district, Shah touted Modi-Nitish record and vowed to block return of ‘jungle raj’.

“Lalu-Rabri wants to make their son the chief minister of Bihar, and Sonia Gandhi wants to see her son as the prime minister of India. I want to make it clear that neither Lalu-Rabri’s son will become chief minister, nor will Sonia Gandhi’s son become prime minister,” he said.

Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he remarked that there was “no vacancy” either in Patna or in Delhi.

“At present, Nitish Kumar is the chief minister in Bihar and Narendra Modi is the prime minister at the Centre. Both have been serving the people with honesty and dedication,” Shah said.

Questioning the intent of Opposition leaders, the home minister asked whether those driven by family ambitions could ever understand the needs of youth, farmers, fishermen, and Jeevika Didis.

“Bihar has already seen 15 years of jungle raj under Lalu and Rabri Devi. The same model, with a change of faces, is now being pushed again. The NDA’s priority is to prevent its return,” Shah said, while accusing Lalu of involvement in multiple scams — from fodder and flood relief to land-for-jobs and recruitment scams. “Even the Congress was involved in corruption worth ₹12 lakh crore. How can such people ever think of Bihar’s welfare?” he asked.

“Only Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Nitish Kumar are genuinely concerned about the upliftment of these sections,” he added.

Listing the NDA government’s welfare measures, Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has ensured free treatment worth up to ₹5 lakh for 3.60 crore people in Bihar under the Ayushman Bharat scheme.

Defending the initiative, Shah promised that “neither Lalu nor his next three generations can take that money back.”