‘Now, don’t blame rats’: Bihar opposition’s dig at CM over collapse of newly inaugurated bridge

The bridge was constructed at the cost Rs 263.47 crore. In a tweet, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said Rs 263 crore is nothing for the Kumar government. “Their rats alone consume alcohol worth this amount,” he said.

Bihar’s opposition leaders slammed chief minister Nitish Kumar after a recently inaugurated bridge by him, constructed at the cost Rs 263.47 crore, collapsed yesterday within a month of its opening. Last month, on June 16, CM Kumar inaugurated the Sattarghat bridge at Gopalganj which collapsed on Wednesday due to heavy rains and floods.

File photo: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. (Santosh Kumar/Hindustan Times)

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav and Bihar Congress chief Madan Mohan Jha slammed the Kumar government for the collapse of the bridge. In a tweet, Yadav said, Rs 263 crore is nothing for the Kumar government. “Their rats alone consume alcohol worth this amount,” his post read.

“Portion of Sattarghat Bridge on Gandak River, that was inaugurated by CM Nitish Kumar last month in Gopalganj, collapsed yesterday after water flow increased in the river due to heavy rainfall. #Bihar “Beware! If someone calls it Nitish ji’s corruption? 263 crores is just a show of good governance. Their rats alone consume alcohol worth this amount,” his tweet read.

Bihar Congress president Madan Mohan Jha carried on with the rodent jibe and said that the blame of this mishap should not be put on “poor rodents”.

“The inauguration of the bridge which was constructed at a cost of Rs 263.47 crore took place on 16 June and its destruction on 15 July. Now do not accuse the poor rodents for this,” Jha tweeted.

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The opposition’s “rodents” jibes come as part of veiled attacks on various instances where the administration tried shirking off incidents, putting the blame on rodents.

Among the many wrongdoings that the poor creature was accused of was the disappearance of gallons of liquor seized in the state a few years ago. The police had came up with the claim that the confiscated alcohol was lost to tipsy rats.

Last year, two ministers blamed rodents for the floods that devastated the state’s northern and eastern parts, stating that the holes in the embankments were made by rodents which weakened the structures and allowed river water to cause floods.