Blame It On Grand Alliance

NDA has been training its gun on Grand Alliance in Bihar over the spate of killings in the state. However, the reality is far different. Kanhaiya Bhelari reports

- Kanhaiya Bhelari

The opposition has been attacking the Grand Alliance (GA) over the rise in crime in Bihar. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is not someone who can stay unaffected by the issues which violate the law and order in the state. However, the opposition led by the NDA is of the view that Nitish under pressure from RJD’s Lalu Prasad Yadav is not doing enough to curb the criminal activities. The ground reality is something different.

A National Democratic Alliance (NDA) leader, on the condition of anonymity, says, “We cannot derive any political mileage out of the false allegations being levelled against Nitish and his coalition government. He (Nitish) has been tried and tested as a cm on the law and order front as well.”

Significantly, his loyalty towards his party also did not stop him from saying that the current ploy to show Nitish as a crime-friendly politician would backfire as was the case during the Assembly elections last year.

This is true. Ever since he became chief minister for the first time in November 2005, Nitish has been telling everyone, “Hum na hi kisi ko fasayenge aur na hi kisi ko bachaynge (We will not frame anybody nor save anyone if he or she commits a crime.)”

Just after taking oath as cm of Bihar on 24 November 2005, Nitish Kumar had promised to free the state of crime.

Even his harshest critics confessed that he succeeded to a great extent in fulfilling this promise. Records showed that from January 2006 to December 2015 a total of 92,343 criminals were convicted, perhaps the highest conviction rate in the country.

He got applause from across the globe for restoring the rule of law in the state. Several criminal-turned-politicians started making statements that previous government was happy to play ball with them than Nitish’s.