Bihar CM Samrat Choudhary says there is crime but no apraadh
The Chief Minister's remarks during a Delhi event have triggered a political row with the Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said on Tuesday that while there may be crime in the state, there is no 'apraadh'. Speaking at an event organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Delhi, Choudhary stated that the concept of crime has been eliminated and there are no criminals in Bihar, according to The Indian Express.
The remark has led to a political row. Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) working president and Bihar assembly opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav questioned whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished to ruin the state under Choudhary's leadership.
Yadav, who shared a video of the remarks on X, also questioned if bureaucrats sitting on the stage felt honoured or humiliated working with the Chief Minister. He referred to a case from the 1990s in Munger where Choudhary was allegedly named in connection to the murder of seven people.
Choudhary, who began his career with the RJD, has maintained that he was falsely implicated in that case. He became the first BJP chief minister in Bihar in April this year after Nitish Kumar stepped back from the role.
Union Minister Chirag Paswan, whose party is part of the NDA alliance, declined to comment on the controversy but said Choudhary has a clear vision on crime control. Paswan added that as the Chief Minister and Home Minister, Choudhary must have facts and figures to back his claim.