BJP attacks CM Nitish Kumar over rising crime in Bihar

NEW DELHI: BJP today attacked Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over the rise in number of crimes in the state and condemned his inaction against criminals allegedly supported by those who are part of his government.

BJP also hit out at Nitish for being more concerned in protecting his own chair than the people of the state, who are suffering due to "deteriorating" law and order.

"For your own arrogance, you have sided with those supporting criminal elements. Nitish Kumar is sleeping and lending a Nelson's eye towards criminals. He is more concerned about his own chair than safety and security of Bihari people.

"People are being killed, incidents of extortion are on the rise in Bihar, but the Nitish government is not acting against criminals. BJP condemns this, as we will not allow Bihar to turn into 'Jungle Raj 2'," BJP secretary Shrikant Sharma told a press conference.

He accused Kumar of earlier favouring the corrupt and now the criminals and said his party, while playing the role of a good opposition in Bihar, will launch an agitation that will force him to act against criminals.

"You sided with the corrupt earlier. Now you are even supporting criminals," he said.

Sharma said the Bihar Chief Minister fears that he may lose his chair the moment he acts against criminals as the party that is supporting his government is supporting such criminal elements.

Apparently to blunt the 'good governance' plank of Nitish Kumar, NDA had repeatedly targeted him for aligning with RJD chief Lalu Prasad during the Assembly election campaign saying that if the RJD-JDU-Congress combine came to power, it will be akin to bringing back 'Jungle Raj' for the second time.

The body of an engineer was found in a ditch in Vaishali district of Bihar today, two days after two other engineers were murdered in the state.

Sharma said there have been three murders of engineers in the state, besides a large number of other incidents including those of extortion and burglaries.