Bahubalis used to run parallel government during RJD rule: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar

PATNA: JD (U) national president and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday took a dig at RJD rule of Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi by saying that ‘bahubalis’ (musclemen) used to run parallel government during their 15 years’ regime (1990-2005).
Addressing a virtual meeting of party workers and functionaries in Muzaffarpur, Gopalganj, Siwan, Saran and Vaishali districts, Nitish said, “Massacres, murders, kidnappings, robberies and theft were rampant. People used to be scared while coming out of their homes after sunset. However, rule of law is prevalent in Bihar today.”
State water resources minister and JD(U) national general secretary Sanjay Kumar Jha said Nitish was referring to “the reign of former Siwan MP Md Shahabuddin”. “Everybody knows who ruled Siwan during the Lalu-Rabri regime. There was one ‘Sahab’ in Patna and another in Siwan. Besides, the lawlessness was also rampant in neighbouring Gopalganj, the native district of Lalu and Rabri,” Jha told TOI.
Elaborating on the improvement in law and order situation, Nitish said Bihar ranked 23rd in crime across the country as per the National Crime Records Bureau report in 2018. “Today, law is being implemented without any pressure. We neither protect nor spare anyone,” he said.
Nitish told the party workers from booth to district level that various milestones of development have been achieved under his leadership in the last 15 years. “Yield of crops has increased with execution of agriculture road map. Development has reached every village following the execution of numerous schemes under the Seven Resolves of the state government,” he said.
Elaborating on the steps being taken to tackle Covid-19 crisis, Nitish said altogether 21.5 lakh people returned to the state by Shramik special trains and lakhs of people came by other means of transport. “Altogether 15 lakh people were kept in quarantine centres, where they were provided all basic amenities. Various alternatives are being explored for providing livelihood opportunities to them,” he said.
Hitting out at states from where the people returned, Nitish said: “It was the responsibility of the states to take care of the workers during this crisis. However, they did not fulfil their responsibility, forcing the workers to return. Now we want that maximum people should get work here only.”
JD(U) national general secretary (organization) RCP Singh, Munger MP Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lallan Singh and energy minister Bijendra Prasad Yadav were also present in the virtual meeting.