‘Lalu And Allies Blocked Ram Temple Dream’: Amit Shah Slams RJD Chief In Bihar
Gopalganj, Bihar – Union Home Minister Amit Shah delivered a blistering assault on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Lalu Prasad Yadav during a public gathering in Gopalganj, Bihar, on Sunday. Labeling Lalu a figurehead of graft and poor governance, Shah held the RJD accountable for plunging Bihar into a chaotic “Jungle Raj” and charged that Lalu and his allies repeatedly stalled the long-cherished construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, all while favoring his family over the state’s progress.
“We waited decades for Lord Ram’s temple in Ayodhya, but Lalu and his gang threw up endless obstacles. After 550 years, it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who brought this vision to life with a majestic temple,” Shah declared, celebrating a cornerstone of the BJP’s agenda.
Shah also unveiled plans to boost Bihar’s cultural legacy, saying, “Now, Bihar will host a glorious temple for Goddess Sita. This monument will captivate the world and broadcast the strength of women from our land.”
‘Fodder Thieves Can’t Serve Bihar’: Amit Shah Tears Into Lalu Yadav, RJD’s ‘Jungle Raj’ Record
Shah sharpened his attack by invoking Lalu’s tainted history, quipping, “Those who siphoned off cattle fodder have no capacity to care for Bihar’s people.” He was alluding to the infamous fodder scam, a massive embezzlement scheme involving crores looted from treasuries in Doranda, Deoghar, Dumka, and Chaibasa, exposed in the 1990s when Jharkhand was still part of Bihar. Lalu’s conviction in the scandal remains a political lightning rod.
The Home Minister piled on further allegations: “Lalu Prasad was neck-deep in the bitumen fraud, the flood aid misappropriation, and the ‘Charwaha Vidyalaya’ con.” These claims framed Lalu’s tenure as a cesspool of corruption.
Speaking earlier in Patna, Shah described Lalu’s 1990-2005 rule as a bleak period of “Jungle Raj.” “What did Lalu Yadav’s administration deliver from 1990 to 2005? It dragged Bihar’s name through the mud with the fodder scam’s statewide loot. His reign will go down as ‘Jungle Raj’ in the annals of history,” he asserted.
In stark contrast, Shah hailed the NDA’s stewardship under PM Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as a golden era. “Since the BJP and NDA took charge in Bihar, growth has taken off. Every time Modi ji asked for votes, Bihar’s people handed him bouquets of lotus flowers,” he said, nodding to the BJP’s symbol.
Shah highlighted concrete improvements, noting, “Under Nitish Kumar, every village now has roads, electricity, and running water. PM Modi has lifted Bihar’s underprivileged with housing, toilets, water, medicine, and food supplies.”
He also touted agricultural strides, stating, “We’ve launched a maize processing unit and pumped ₹1,000 crore into reviving it for maize growers.” Shah added that shuttered sugar mills were being resuscitated, alongside efforts to ramp up pulses and oilseeds output. “Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) are expanding into pharmacies and fuel outlets,” he said.
Shah’s two-day Bihar tour, timed ahead of the state’s assembly elections later this year, included launching and groundbreaking ceremonies for development initiatives. Arriving on Saturday, he met with local leaders to map out the NDA’s campaign. With this fiery rhetoric, Shah has drawn a battle line against the RJD, priming Bihar for a fierce electoral clash.