‘Boys and Girls Roam Freely Till 11 PM’: Nitish Defends Law & Order, Tejashwi Calls It a Lie

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Wednesday defended his government’s record on law and order, stating that people in Bihar can now move freely even late at night, a claim swiftly challenged by RJD leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav.

Speaking at an event marking Saint Ravidas Jayanti at Bapu Auditorium in Patna, CM Nitish emphasized his administration’s efforts for Scheduled Castes and Tribes while taking a veiled swipe at past allies. “We have been working for the upliftment of Scheduled Castes and Tribes from the beginning. Others made promises, but we took action,” he said.

Referring to his shifting political alliances, CM Nitish said, “We parted ways twice for one-and-a-half years, but later realized they would never do anything. We are together now and will continue working together.” He also asserted that law and order in Bihar had significantly improved since 2005, claiming, “Earlier, people feared stepping out after dark. Now, boys and girls roam freely till 10 or 11 pm.”

Tejashwi was quick to counter the Chief Minister’s statement, accusing him of misleading the public on Bihar’s crime situation. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the RJD leader wrote, “Nitish Kumar only talks about hollow good governance. He hates the truth and prefers to live in the shadow of lies. How can he remain silent despite the rising crime rate in Bihar? If he checks the statistics, his conscience should tremble.” Yadav also shared a poster highlighting recent crimes against women in Bihar.

In his address, CM Nitish also invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, recalling his tenure as a minister in Vajpayee’s cabinet. “He made me the Chief Minister of Bihar, and since then, I have been working continuously. Even now, I keep traveling across the state, reviewing everything closely,” he said.