'Lalu Prasad Ate Up Fodder, He Can't Think About Welfare Of Bihar': Amit Shah

Last Updated:March 30, 2025, 16:32 IST

The fodder scam, in which crores of rupees were fraudulently withdrawn from treasuries such as Doranda, Deoghar, Dumka and Chaibasa was exposed in the 1990s when Jharkhand was part of Bihar.

Amit Shah in Bihar (PTI Image)

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) patriarch Lalu Prasad for his alleged involvement in various scams, alleging that “those who had eaten up fodder cannot think about the welfare of people" in Bihar.

While addressing a public gathering in Gopalganj, the union minister said, “The NDA governments, both at the Centre and in Bihar, have been working for the overall development of Bihar. Those who had eaten up fodder meant for cattle cannot think about the welfare of the people of the state." Lalu Prasad was “involved in the bitumen scam, flood relief material supply scam, ‘Charwaha Vidyalaya’ (school for cattle grazers) scam, and he had also eaten up fodder."

He further accused RJD and Congress of ignoring the development of Bihar and working only for the betterment of his family. He said that RJD’s Lalu Yadav and Congress’ Sonia Gandhi “destroyed" Bihar and the state has seen development under the Narendra Modi government.

Bihar witnessed ‘jungle raj’ under the Lalu-Rabri regime

Shah further accused the RJD supremo of doing nothing for the development and strengthening of the rural economy in Bihar.

“Lalu-Rabri regime will be remembered for promoting ‘jungle-raj’ in Bihar. He (Lalu) did nothing for the development and strengthening of Bihar’s rural economy. Several sugar mills were closed during the RJD’s government. During the RJD regime, Bihar witnessed “murders, abduction, fodder scam, etc," Shah said.

“People don’t want the return of ‘jungle raj’, gang war and abduction industry in Bihar. The NDA will once again form government in the state with a thumping majority in the assembly polls," he added.

The fodder scam, in which crores of rupees were fraudulently withdrawn from treasuries such as Doranda, Deoghar, Dumka and Chaibasa was exposed in the 1990s when Jharkhand was part of Bihar. RJD chief and former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav is one of the high-profile politicians who was convicted in the case.

Choice Between Jungle Raj and Development

While addressing the public, Shah said that in the upcoming assembly elections, Bihar has to decide that if it wants a “jungle raj" (term used by NDA to refer RJD’s regime in the state) or a government led by PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar focusing development.

“In 2025, elections (Vidhan Sabha) will be conducted in Bihar. Now, Bihar has to decide whether they want to go toward the ‘Jungle Raj’ of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi or go toward the path of development of PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar. When NDA government came to Bihar, it started progressing. PM Modi has done many development works in the last 1 0 years which Congress was not able to do in the last 65 years…" he said as quoted by news agency ANI.

Shah further said that the Narendra Modi government ensured the construction of a grand Ram Temple in Ayodhya and plans to build a temple for Mata Janki (goddess Sita) in Bihar.

Shah said the BJP government at the Centre has encouraged holidays for the Chhath festival. “The Centre has allocated Rs 9 lakh crore for Bihar’s development. Thirteen greenfield expressways are being built. We will build seven bridges with an outlay of Rs 8,000 crore. The Centre also set up a makhana board in Bihar," he said, listing the Budget announcements for the state.

The union minister also claimed that Bihar had received only Rs 2.80 lakh crore during the UPA regime at the Centre while the BJP-led NDA gave Rs 9.23 lakh crore to the state.

Shah unveiled schemes and laid the foundation stones for projects, worth over Rs 800 crore, in Bihar.

(With inputs from agencies)

Gopalganj, India, India

News politics 'Lalu Prasad Ate Up Fodder, He Can't Think About Welfare Of Bihar': Amit Shah