Bihar and Jharkhand News

former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav (Photo: IANS)

Patna, Jan 21 (IANS) Santosh Kumar Singh, Bihar's Labour Resources Minister, made a derogatory remark about former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's mental health on Tuesday.

In his statement, Singh criticised Tejashwi Yadav’s functioning and, in a sarcastic tone, suggested that such an issue cannot be resolved by a mobile company but instead requires treatment at a hospital located near the Attari border, which lies on the India-Pakistan frontier.

This remark seems to be a continuation of the ongoing political rivalry between the BJP and the RJD in the state.

Singh’s remarks came as Tejashwi Yadav has been frequently attacking Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, accusing his government of being run by a so-called ‘DK Boss,’ whom he termed as the ‘Super CM’ of Bihar.

In a pointed response, Singh accused Tejashwi Yadav of overlooking the controversial tenure of his parents, Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, when the RJD was in power.

Singh alleged that during their regime, Bihar witnessed rampant lawlessness, including extortion of traders and kidnappings, with the deals allegedly orchestrated from the Chief Minister's residence itself.

"Everyone knows who was the ‘Super CM’ at that time," Singh said, without naming names.

He further criticised the past government for the alleged rise of the "kidnapping industry" in Bihar, sarcastically asking, "Who was the owner of it?"

Singh also commented on the suspicious deaths of five individuals in Mathiya village, under the Lauriya police station of West Champaran district.

He refrained from drawing any conclusions, stating that the investigation was still underway and assured that the findings would result in further legal action.

He emphasised that the current government, led by Nitish Kumar, operates with a "zero tolerance" policy towards crime.

"No one will escape after making a mistake. Let the investigation take its course," Singh said.