The CBI last week questioned two former Chief Ministers of Bihar - Rabri Devi and her husband Lalu Prasad Yadav - in the land-for-jobs scam in the Indian Railways. Incumbent Nitish Kumar, who was critical of the CBI searches in the residences of the RJD leaders in August 2022, is silent now.
On August 22, 2022, immediately after the new government headed by Nitish Kumar, with help of RJD, Congress and Left parties was sworn in, the CBI had raided the houses of Rabri and Lalu in Patna and 16 other places in the country. During the floor test of the Grand Alliance government, Nitish had said, “Ever since the RJD allied with us, they have begun to conduct the raids.”
However, Nitish did not react when the RJD leaders were questioned in Patna and Delhi last week. Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, who was present in the assembly, had the told media, “Nitishji enquired about the CBI presence in 10, Circular Road residence of Rabri Devi.” Nitish remained silent.
No reaction from Congress or Left parties
The Congress and the three Left parties supporting the government also did not react on the CBI action. A probe in the fodder scam against Lalu had started when HD Deve Gowda was the prime minister and he was convicted in 2013 when Manmohan Singh was the PM.
Manoj Jha, RJD member of Rajya Sabha, was quick to react on the behaviour of the opposition leaders on CBI action in Bihar and Delhi. He said, “This culture of silence (chuppi ki sanskriti) is not a healthy sign.” He was annoyed with the selective reactions by the opposition parties in ED and CBI actions.
Bihar CM yet to sign memorandum
Nitish did not sign the memorandum sent to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the alleged victimisation of opposition leaders through CBI, ED and income tax. His deputy Tejashwi signed the memo. He met non-BJP chief ministers Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), Arwind Kejriwal (Delhi), K Chandrashekhar Rao (Telangana) and MK Stalin (Tamil Nadu).
Nitish, who is known for no compromise on corruption, had in 2017 snapped ties with the RJD when the CBI filed cases against Tejashwi in the IRCTC case and allotment of lands in Patna, Bhubaneswar and Ranchi. He had joined hands with the BJP condemning the RJD.
RJD leaders surprised with Nitish's silence
A mysterious silence by Nitish on CBI action against the first RJD family has surprised even the RJD leaders here.
They claim the complaint against Lalu in the land-for-job alleged scam was filed in 2008 when Lalu was the railway minister. The CBI had closed the case and now reopened when the party joined the Grand Alliance against the BJP.
