Remark at NHAI event sparks controversy
Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary’s comments on crime and criminality have set off a political row, with Opposition leaders questioning the meaning of his statement and linking it to the wider debate over law and order in the state.
Choudhary made the remarks on Tuesday at an event organised by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in Delhi. Speaking in Hindi, he appeared to draw a distinction between the English word “crime” and the Hindi term “apraadh”, saying that offences might occur but that the concept of apraadh had ended in Bihar.
“Hamare yahan koi apraadh nahi hai. Apraadh ka concept hi khatam ho chuka hai. Crime ho sakte hain, lekin apraadh nahi, koi apraadhi nahi hai.”
The statement, which was circulated through a video of the speech, prompted questions over whether the Chief Minister was making a linguistic distinction, referring to a change in the nature of offences, or asserting that Bihar no longer had criminals. The remarks quickly moved from the Delhi event to the centre of political discussion in Bihar.
Tejashwi Yadav launches attack
Rashtriya Janata Dal working president Tejashwi Yadav, who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, shared the video on X and criticised the Chief Minister. Yadav used the wording of the statement to accuse the government of trying to deny the reality of crime in the state.
In his post, Yadav referred to allegations connected with a case registered against Choudhary in the 1990s involving the alleged murder of seven people. He described the Chief Minister as an accused in that case and questioned whether senior administrative and police officers who attended the Delhi programme felt honoured or humiliated while working with him.
Yadav also directed his criticism at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether Modi had effectively given Choudhary a “contract” to ruin Bihar. The post combined an attack on the Chief Minister’s words with a broader allegation that the BJP leadership was responsible for his appointment to the state’s top political office.
Congress responds with wordplay
Congress leader Pawan Khera adopted a different approach while joining the criticism. Referring to the apparent distinction between the English and Hindi words used by Choudhary, Khera posted that there could be “poverty” but no “gareebi”. The response echoed the Chief Minister’s formulation but shifted the subject from public safety to deprivation.
Khera’s intervention underlined the extent to which the Chief Minister’s wording had become a subject of ridicule among Opposition leaders. Rather than addressing a specific crime figure or a particular case, the competing posts focused on the language used by Choudhary and the implications that political rivals drew from it.
Political dispute touches law and order debate
The controversy comes at a time when statements by senior political leaders on public safety are closely watched across Bihar. Any assertion about the presence or absence of crime has direct political significance because law and order remains a central responsibility of the state government and a recurring issue in Assembly politics.
The available account of the remarks does not contain a crime statistic, a reference to a particular police operation or an explanation of how the words “crime” and “apraadh” were intended to differ in legal or administrative terms. As a result, the political reaction has centred on the apparent contradiction in saying that crime may exist while denying the existence of apraadh or criminals.
| Participant | Response |
|---|---|
| Samrat Choudhary | Said crime may occur in Bihar but claimed there was no apraadh or criminality. |
| Tejashwi Yadav | Shared the video, criticised the Chief Minister and raised allegations linked to a 1990s murder case. |
| Pawan Khera | Used a parallel phrase about poverty and gareebi to mock the formulation. |
Old case enters fresh political battle
Yadav’s reference to the old case adds a second layer to the dispute. According to the available account, Choudhary has maintained that he was falsely implicated in the matter registered in his home district of Munger. The allegation remains part of the Opposition’s political attack, while Choudhary’s stated position is that the case did not represent his conduct.
The exchange also reflects the sharp contest between the ruling BJP and the RJD-led Opposition in Bihar. Yadav’s criticism was not limited to the Chief Minister’s choice of words; it also challenged the political judgement of the central leadership and questioned the credibility of the officials present at the event.
For the moment, the controversy rests on the Chief Minister’s Delhi statement and the responses that followed on X. The episode has nevertheless widened into a debate over whether leaders should use precise language while speaking about crime, criminality and governance, particularly when such remarks are made in a public programme attended by senior government officials.
