Bihar bridge collapse: ‘Nitish, PM Modi thinking how to convert this corruption into Jungle Raj?’ says Tejashwi Yadav | Mint

As Bihar experienced the collapse of at least three additional bridges or causeways on Wednesday, marking the ninth incident of its kind in the rain-affected state within the past 15 days, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav launched a strong criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday, criticizing the “silence” on the matter.

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In a post on X, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said on Thursday, “𝟒 Another bridge collapsed in Bihar this morning on July 25. Yesterday 𝟑 July alone 𝟓 bridges collapsed. 𝟏𝟖 From June till now 𝟏𝟐 bridges have collapsed.”

He further slammed PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar, and wrote, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar are completely silent and speechless on these achievements. They are thinking how to convert this corruption into Jungle Raj?”

“Always singing songs on corruption, morality, good governance, jungle raj, good governance etc., the seekers of merits and demerits in others, the top workers with so-called high understanding, the best journalists cum advocates of high order and the best people with good thoughts have strangled their conscience and have become virtuous by wearing a blanket of silence on these misdeeds of good governance,” he further added.

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Meanwhile, CM Nitish Kumar directed the Road Construction Department (RCD) and Rural Works Department (RWD) to immediately conduct a survey of all old bridges in the state and identify those that require immediate repairing.

“Certain portions of bridges/causeways that caved in Siwan and Saran on Wednesday are very old,” Chaitanya Prasad, Additional Chief Secretary, WRD, said in a statement.

“These structures don’t seem to have been constructed following required parameters. It also appears that the foundation was not deep enough, a reason why these structures got damaged during floods,” it said.

First, a portion of a small bridge over the Gandaki River in the Deoria block of the Siwan district collapsed at around 5 am.

“A portion of a bridge in Deoria block collapsed this morning,” Deputy Development Commissioner Mukesh Kumar said adding that the cause is under investigation, ANI reported.

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Later, another small bridge reportedly met the same fate in Teghra block of the district. Despite repeated attempts, the district magistrate of Siwan was not available for his comments.

“Two more small bridges also collapsed in Saran,” District Magistrate Aman Samir said.

“One small bridge that collapsed in Janta Bazar area was 100 years old. Another one that caved in is located in Lahladpur area and was built 25 years ago. A high-level probe has been ordered,” Samir said.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister’s Office, Kumar asked department heads to take strict action against the guilty.

The NDA government should tell us who is guilty, the former deputy chief minister said.

In a separate post, Yadav said, “By the way, it is a strange situation for the double engine government of 𝟔 parties that 𝟏𝟓 even after the collapse of a bridge worth 𝟏𝟎 thousands of crores in a day, they are not able to find any excuse to blame the opposition.”

“Apparently, since BJP is in the government, corruption and crime are no longer issues,” he said.