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BJP cites spate of crimes, says return of ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar
On August 10, Janata Dal (United) formed the government with Rashtriya Janata Dal after quitting a BJP-led alliance
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday claimed Bihar’s law and order situation has deteriorated within two days of the return of what it called Janata Dal (United) or JD(U) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s “jungle raj”.
Sambit Patra, a BJP spokesperson, said there has been a spate of crimes in Bihar, including murders of journalists, and deaths due to consumption of adulterated alcohol, since August 10 when JD (U) formed the government with RJD after quitting a BJP-led alliance.
“...On August 10, a journalist of Prabhat Khabar was shot dead. On August 11, another reporter was killed... a priest was killed in Bettiah. On the same day, a Toyota car showroom in Patna was also broken into and six people died because of spurious alcohol consumption. Earlier, 13 others died after drinking spurious liquor in Chappra and 10 in Nalanda, which is the chief minister [Nitish Kumar’s] home turf,” Patra said.
He added reports of theft, snatching, murder, and rape were pouring in from the state. “It is the return of the jungle raj. Though we [BJP] did not have excise and home departments, it was because of our pressure that such activities were under control.”
Patra took a dig at deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. “In 2020, he said if we come to power, we will give one million jobs. Now when he was questioned on how he would fulfil the promise, he said, he meant that when he becomes the chief minister, he would give jobs…this means there is an I and not us in this government. And this is what the BJP has been fighting against; the dynastic and family parties.”
Patra also hit out at Delhi’s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and said chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been spending more money on advertising schemes than paying for them. “In 2015, announcing a scheme for loans without guarantee for pursuing higher education, he said students could take loans up to ₹10 lakh. This year, 89 students applied for this loan and after much deliberation, only two students could avail of this. And for advertising this, they gave advertisements worth ₹19.47 crore.”
He added they also claimed a new chemical has been found which will clear pollution. “Later it was found that advertisement on this chemical that cost ₹60 lakh was ₹24 crore.” Patra lashed out at the AAP government for its inability to distinguish between waiving off and writing off loans and between welfare schemes and freebies. “Working for the economically weaker sections means benefit but when the welfare is intended for one person or party, then it is a freebie,” he said
BJP and AAP have been sparring over freebies being offered as election sops.
