PATNA: With RJD leader and former minister Tej Pratap Yadav saying he feels unsafe in Bihar and asking CM Nitish Kumar to raise his security, the ruling NDA and the Opposition parties on Thursday engaged in a bitter verbal duel on the declining law and order situation in the state.

Yadav, who is jailed RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav’s elder son, had attacked the state government over the recent spate of murders and lynching incidents, saying the government had failed in providing safety to ordinary citizens.

“I also feel unsafe under this so-called sushashan (good governance). Anybody can kill anyone under the prevailing circumstances of lawlessness. Anybody can throw a bomb at my janata durbars,” said Tej Pratap, adding, “I want my security to be enhanced. I demand that Nitish Kumar should provide me more security”.

The ruling JD(U) and BJP rubbished Tej Pratap’s claims of lawlessness and maintained that the Nitish Kumar-led government has consistently taken action against criminals.

“If he feels unsafe, he should listen from his maternal uncle (former MP Sadhu Yadav) the horrific tales of criminal activities in Bihar between 1990 and 2005 (the years of RJD rule). If he is reminded of the crimes that shook Bihar when his father was chief minister, he would not say he feels unsafe,” said JD(U) spokesperson Nikhil Mandal.

Senior BJP leader and the party’s national media coordinator Sanjay Mayukh said: “If Tej Pratap needs more security personnel, he must submit an application at the government office concerned instead of speaking in the media to draw attention to himself”.

Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of Opposition in Bihar and also Tej Pratap’s younger brother, excoriated the government after two youths were lynched in Nalanda on Wednesday following the murder of an RJD worker.

“Mobocracy prevails in Bihar. Three people died due to Mob Lynchings in last 24 Hours. Mandate robbers led by Nitish Kumar have turned Bihar into “Lynch-Vihar”. Seven murders in last 24 hours. Law & Order is Out of Control in Bihar as Nitish govt is working Hand in Glove with Criminals,” Tejashwi had tweeted.

JD(U) MLC and spokesperson Neeraj Kumar hit back, saying: “Our government has been consistently putting criminals of all kinds in jail while RJD is notorious for harbouring and patronising criminals and rapists. When the father, mother and sons (Lalu, Rabri Devi and their two sons) are busy idolizing criminals, they have no right to speak on law and order”.