Tejashwi Yadav hits back at PM’s ‘infiltration’ remarks as Bihar poll diversion

RJD leader and leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday, 16 September, hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on “infiltration” in Bihar, dismissing them as “diversionary tactics” ahead of the state assembly elections.

Speaking to reporters a day after the PM’s rally in Purnea, where the BJP accused the Opposition of “shielding and defending” infiltrators, Yadav questioned the government’s record. “Let us, for a moment, assume there are infiltrators in Bihar. Then the question arises — what have you (Modi) been doing all along? You have been in power for 11 years at the Centre. The NDA has ruled the state for 20 years. Have you even identified a single infiltrator in Bihar?”

At the Purnea rally, the prime minister had warned that infiltration was leading to a “demographic crisis” and that ordinary citizens were “worried about the honour of their sisters and daughters.”

Yadav countered that such statements were part of a familiar playbook, pointing out that the BJP had raised a similar issue in Jharkhand during the assembly polls there, only to drop it after the elections.

“This is nothing but a bogey, raised every time elections come near,” Yadav alleged. “The NDA knows it has failed in providing good governance. It has failed on jobs, education, healthcare, and grievance redressal. So, it is trying to divert people’s attention.”

The former deputy chief minister also expressed confidence that the opposition INDIA bloc would defeat the NDA in the upcoming elections. “We will form a government that ensures padhaai, dawaai, kamaai, sunwaai aur karwaai — education, healthcare, jobs, grievance redressal, and effective action,” he said.

Announcing the launch of his Bihar Adhikar Yatra, Yadav said the campaign would carry this message to people across the state.

With PTI inputs