CM says Bihar now a safe state, vows to stay in NDA

Patna: CM Nitish Kumar on Tuesday said his govt had transformed the state's law and order situation, ensuring peace and development across all sections of society. Speaking during the motion of thanks to the governor's address in the bicameral legislature, Kumar highlighted how communal clashes, once frequent, had been curbed under his administration.
"Before we came to power in 2005, the law and order situation was so pathetic that people feared going out of their homes after dusk. Bad roads also made commutes difficult," he said. However, Kumar claimed that measures such as fencing graveyards and taking strict action against those responsible for riots had helped restore peace. "Earlier, the state was always plagued by clashes between Hindus and Muslims. Those who used to get Muslim votes could never put an end to this. When I took over, disputes over land meant for graveyards (kabristan) were identified as a major factor," he said.
The govt, the CM said, had undertaken the fencing of thousands of graveyards at its own expense and ensured that those responsible for the 1989 Bhagalpur riots faced justice.
As he made these remarks, opposition members raised slogans, prompting the JD(U) leader to chide them. "You people are children. Do you know what was the situation back then?" he said, even pointing at leader of the opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and stating, "Even he is a child." Addressing journalists in the press gallery, he added, "Ask them if you want to know how bad things were back then."
Reaffirming his commitment to Bihar's development, Kumar said in the council that he was here to stay. "Beech me do baar idhar-udhar ho gaya tha… ab kahin nahin jayenge," he said, referring to his past political shifts. Now, he insisted, he was getting full cooperation from the Centre and with its support, Bihar would progress further. Special financial assistance had been provided in the budget, he said, allowing his govt to focus on key areas such as agriculture, irrigation and infrastructure.
The CM pointed to major improvements in electricity supply, contrasting the situation with the previous RJD regime. "Even the state capital was getting not more than eight hours of electricity supply and the situation was even worse in the districts. But now, power has reached every home," Kumar said. Similarly, he spoke of advancements in healthcare and education, saying that the number of medical colleges had increased from six to 12 and there are plans to expand it to 26.
On law and order, Kumar claimed that both boys and girls now felt safe moving about even late at night, a stark contrast to the past. "Earlier, people wouldn't move out of their homes after sunset, but now both boys and girls are freely moving on the streets till late hours," he said. The CM credited an increase in the police force and improved security measures for this transformation.
Opposition MLAs eventually staged a walkout, to which Kumar responded with a taunt. "After the elections, we will be back and they will be decimated. They have run away because they neither know nor understand anything," Kumar said. Asserting his renewed alliance with the NDA, he added, "We are together again and will remain so," while also accusing Tejashwi of wrongdoing, saying, "Tum gadbad kar rahe the".