Amit Shah Warns of "Jungle Raj" Return: Highlights Bihar's Progress Under Nitish Kumar's Leadership

Union home minister Amit Shah cautioned the citizens of Bihar regarding the potential return of "jungle raj" while praising Nitish Kumar's administration, highlighting how it has guided the state toward development from its previous state.

"Lalu and Rabri pushed Bihar backward, but look at where it stands today under Nitish Kumar's leadership," Amit Shah remarked in an exclusive conversation with NDTV CEO and Editor-In-Chief Rahul Kanwal during the NDTV Bihar Power Play event. "I strongly urge Bihar's citizens to vote carefully because if Mahagathbandhan returns to power, jungle raj will follow," he emphasized.

Bihar, Amit Shah noted, is among the "most politically aware states in the country," where residents have witnessed substantial progress over the past two decades. "Ask any young person and they will confirm that law and order has significantly improved under Nitish Kumar's governance, establishing the foundation for advancement," he stated.

Describing Bihar's infrastructure developments, he said, "Currently, there are 4 bridges spanning the Ganga, with 10 more under construction. This level of progress was once unimaginable. During previous administrations, conversations centered around robbery, murder, and looting, but today we're discussing development."

The NDA, according to Shah, has ambitious plans for employment generation, targeting one crore jobs. He distinguished between traditional employment and self-employment, indicating that the latter is crucial for reducing migration.

"Employment can be created through various channels. Employment differs from jobs... To decrease migration, we must establish self-employment opportunities within Bihar," he explained.

Regarding the NDA's approach, they are providing seed capital to women entrepreneurs to help them launch independent businesses.

Referring to the Rs 10,000 assistance announced for women under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rozgar Yojana in September, Shah described it as "seed money."

He added that women can access up to 2 lakh rupees from banks for self-employment initiatives. "This falls under PM Modi's Lakhpati Didi scheme, designed to provide employment opportunities to Jeevika didis," he clarified.

Addressing Rashtriya Janata Dal's Tejashwi Yadav's job creation proposals, Shah expressed skepticism about the state budget's capacity to support such initiatives.

"Tejashwi has promised over 2 crore jobs. Bihar's current budget cannot sustain this commitment. The budget would need to quadruple to fulfill such a promise," he concluded.