Union Minister Lalan Singh Faces FIR for Controversial Remarks During Bihar Election Campaign

Lalan Singh, a Union Minister and significant leader in the JDU, is facing legal consequences for controversial remarks made during Bihar's election campaign.

New Delhi:

With Bihar's first phase of Assembly elections approaching within 48 hours, Rajiv Ranjan Singh (commonly known as Lalan Singh), who serves as Union Minister and is second-in-command in Nitish Kumar's JDU, has been charged for making inflammatory statements during campaign activities.

An FIR has been filed against Singh after a video circulated showing him instructing supporters to prevent certain leaders from leaving their homes on election day. The case, registered following Election Commission directives, cites violations under both the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Representation of the People Act.

The opposition party Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had previously highlighted Singh's speech in Mokama Assembly constituency, which gained attention after local strongman and JDU candidate Anant Singh was detained in connection with a murder investigation.

In the widely shared video, Singh can be heard saying, "Some leaders should not be allowed to leave their homes on election day. If they beg too much, accompany them, and after voting, escort them back home and ensure they rest. They must be confined at home. Take responsibility now. The election is imminent."

When sharing the video, RJD criticized Singh, suggesting he was undermining the Election Commission's authority, questioning, "Where is the ineffective Commission?"

Mokama falls within Munger Lok Sabha constituency, which Lalan Singh represents in Parliament. Previously, during an NDTV interview, he claimed there was a conspiracy behind Anant Singh's arrest and predicted the 'bahubali' would secure a significant victory in the upcoming elections.

Anant Singh, who already faces 28 criminal cases, has now been implicated in the murder of Dular Singh Yadav, a gangster who entered politics. Yadav had been supporting Jan Suraaj candidate Piyush Priyadarshi in Mokama, though party leader Prashant Kishor has denied any formal association between Yadav and Jan Suraaj.

When NDTV questioned Lalan Singh about campaigning for a controversial candidate, he responded, "Who determines who is tainted? Anyone can be arrested. I could be arrested too. Does that automatically make someone criminal? Investigations must proceed. Many people are eventually proven innocent."

In response to the FIR against Lalan Singh, JDU spokesperson Neeraj Kumar alleged that the Opposition had deliberately misrepresented his comments for political gain.

Earlier, RJD MP Manoj Jha announced the party had approached election authorities regarding Singh's statements. "Ask the Prime Minister what kind of 'jungle raj' this represents. This individual is in your cabinet yet you remain silent," he stated, countering the NDA's frequent 'jungle raj' criticism of RJD chief Lalu Yadav's tenure as Chief Minister.