Rubber stamp CM: Tejashwi targets Bihar govt over crime, corruption and finances

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) national working president and Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the NDA government in Bihar, describing Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary as a "rubber-stamp" leader and alleging that the state was grappling with worsening crime, corruption and financial distress.

Speaking to reporters in Patna, Yadav claimed the state's finances were under severe strain, resulting in delays in salaries and pensions and affecting the implementation of government schemes and development projects.

"The state is passing through a precarious financial condition... salaries have been delayed, government schemes and development projects have been adversely affected due to shortage of funds. Corruption and crime are rampant in the state. A few selected bureaucrats are running the government. Samrat Choudhary is a rubber-stamp CM... Samrat Choudhary angutha chhap hain, who lacks competence... he is working on the direction of his top leadership," Yadav alleged.

He further claimed that the Centre was not providing adequate financial support to Bihar and alleged that the state government had recently withdrawn Rs 3,660 crore from the Contingency Fund to pay pensions and finance certain welfare schemes, instead of making regular budgetary provisions.

Yadav also targeted the NDA government over the alleged multi-crore tender scam, alleging that senior political figures were being shielded.

"The multi-crore tender scam in the state has exposed NDA leaders, especially those from the BJP. This shows how rampant corruption is in the state. The state government is protecting some big fish in this scam," he alleged.

Referring to the Special Vigilance Unit's (SVU) chargesheet filed last week against seven people, including an IAS officer, Yadav claimed only officials belonging to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes had been targeted.

The Bihar government last month suspended two IAS officers in connection with the alleged corruption case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had initially investigated the matter following allegations of irregularities in government tenders. Based on inputs gathered during its probe, the SVU registered separate FIRs and launched its own investigation.