Patna: Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai has sharply criticised the Rashtriya Janata Dal’s (RJD) rule in Bihar, claiming that the state became a “hub of crime” under the leadership of Lalu Prasad Yadav from 1990 to 2005.
Speaking at a press conference at the BJP office in Patna, Rai targeted Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, accusing the RJD of overseeing widespread lawlessness. “If anyone is responsible for Bihar’s plight during those 15 years, it is the RJD and the Lalu family,” he said.
Rai alleged that the party’s tenure was marked by kidnapping, murder, and caste-based violence. According to him, more than 32,000 kidnappings took place in Bihar between 1990 and 2005, with perpetrators allegedly receiving protection from the then-chief minister’s office. “People were afraid to leave their homes, even during the day. Kidnapping had become an industry,” Rai said, urging Tejashwi Yadav to address these claims.
The minister also cited government data alleging 18,136 murders and 59 major caste massacres during the period, which he said left over 600 people dead. Rai claimed that many of those involved in these crimes remain influential within the RJD, including current MLAs and district leaders.
Challenging the opposition leader directly, Rai demanded accountability for past atrocities and criticised what he described as the RJD’s failure to deliver justice to victims’ families. “The people of Bihar deserve to know who was responsible, who protected the perpetrators, and why the Lalu family has never answered these questions,” he said.
