Union Home Minister Amit Shah today ratcheted up the rhetoric against the Opposition ahead of the second phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, accusing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav of supporting and protecting illegal infiltrators in the state’s Seemanchal region.
Addressing a large election rally in Banmankhi town, Shah coined the term “Ghushpaithia Bachao Yatra” (Save the Infiltrators March) to mock the opposition’s campaign.
Amit Shah: “Should the infiltrators be expelled or not?… Rahul Baba and Lalu’s son just started a ‘Save the Infiltrators’ Yatra. They want Seemanchal to become a stronghold of infiltrators. But… we will work to expel every single infiltrator not only from Seemanchal but also from the entire Bihar.”
Infiltrators Threaten Jobs and Security
The Home Minister alleged that the presence of illegal immigrants was a threat to the safety and economic well-being of the local population.
“They snatch the jobs of our youth. They take away the rations of our poor and also make the country unsafe,” he stated.
Shah vowed that the BJP-led NDA would execute a comprehensive plan over the next five years to eliminate the threat:
- Deportation: “We will detect the infiltrators, delete them from the voter lists, and deport them. They will have to go back to their country.”
- Demolition: “We will not only expel the infiltrators, but the encroachment they have made will also be razed to the ground.”
Shah claimed that most illegal businesses in Seemanchal flourished during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s tenure and were expanded by infiltrators later.
RJD Accused of ‘Jungle Raj’ and Scams
Continuing his targeted attack, the Home Minister drew a sharp contrast between the RJD’s past governance and the current NDA regime, reiterating the “jungle raj” label.
Shah accused the 15-year rule of Lalu and Rabri Devi of rampant lawlessness, citing widespread instances of “loot, murder, rape, and kidnapping,” which he called an “industry.” He credited Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with ending the Jungle Raj.
He also took a personal jibe at Tejashwi Yadav, stating: “I agree with Tejashwi Yadav that the Prime Minister cannot do in ‘seven births’ what Lalu Yadav did, because he cannot commit as many scams as Lalu did.”
The rally took place just days after the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections recorded a historic high turnout of 65.08 per cent. The second phase, covering 122 seats, is scheduled for November 11, 2025.