Tejashwi challenges Amit Shah to ‘face-to-face talk’ with facts

Tejashwi Yadav challenges Amit Shah to debate on Bihar crime data, criticises BJP's Bihar election tactics.

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday (April 1, 2025) challenged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to a debate with him based on facts.

Mr. Yadav was reacting to allegations made by Mr. Shah during a visit to Gopalganj on Sunday (March 30, 2025), when the senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader slammed the RJD’s rule in Bihar, and Mr. Yadav’s father, Lalu Prasad, over ‘jungle raj’ in the State.

Mr. Yadav presented data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to state that 60,000 murders, over one lakh kidnappings, more than three lakh thefts, and 25,000 cases of rape had been recorded in Bihar during Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s 20-year rule. Mr. Yadav said the Union Home Minister should “do his homework” before speaking.

“He does not come to Bihar after getting the facts right. When he talks about the crime data of Bihar, he should also talk about the NCRB data, which is not mine but comes under his (the Home Minister’s) department. He talks about ‘jungle raj’. Amit Shah-ji should also talk about the observation made by the Supreme Court in the shelter home case,” Mr. Yadav said, addressing the media at his party office.

The RJD leader challenged Mr. Shah to hold a debate with him and “leave Lalu-ji”.

“You should call Tejashwi for a face-to-face talk. Tejashwi is enough for you people and Tejashwi can give you the correct answer with all the data and figures,” he said.

“When did my father have his brother and sister-in-law elected as MLAs? You don’t even know about it. If you will tease us, we won’t spare you. Amit Shah-ji is the leader in the party (the BJP) after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, but he does not have correct figures. He only lies and makes false statements,” Mr. Yadav said.