'Whose regime can be termed Junge Raj?', asks Tejashwi as he slams Nitish over rising crime rate in Bihar

Tejashwi cited the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of Lalu Prasad's rule between 1990 and 2005 and compared it with the figures of the next 13 years

Leader of Opposition in the Bihar assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday criticised the state government over rise in crime, saying it has doubled in the state under NDA rule than what was during the 15-year regime of the RJD under Lalu Prasad-Rabri Devi.

Participating in a debate during motion of thanks on Governor's address to a joint sitting of the state legislature, the RJD leader said that the number of cognisable offence cases was 97,850 when Lalu Prasad left office but the number rose to 1,96,911 cases in 2018 during NDA regime, registering a 101.2 per cent of growth.

Countering the allegations of 'Jungle Raj' (era of misrule) under his father Lalu Prasad's regime, Yadav said, records suggest otherwise. "Whose regime can be termed as 'Jungle Raj'?" he asked. To buttress his point, he cited the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data of Lalu Prasad's rule between 1990 and 2005 and compared it with the figures of the next 13 years relating to NDA regime.

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Noting that Bihar ranked 23rd in the country vis-a-vis crime in 2000, the RJD leader said, the number of cases had declined to 97,850 in 2005 when Lalu Prasad exited.

But the number of cases rose to 1,27,453 in 2010, 1,76,000 in 2015 and 1,96,911 in 2018, he said.

Crime cases were less in undivided Bihar which had 54 districts, in comparison to Nitish Kumar's dispensation across 38 districts, after the creation of Jharkhand, he added.

Reminding Nitish Kumar of his branding the BJP in 2015 as "Badka Jhootha Party" (party of big liars), Tejahshwi said, Nitish Kumar is "stepney-stooge" of the saffron party and has become chief minister at the BJP's mercy.