Tejashwi Yadav Slams Bihar Government Over 'Rishushree' Tender Fixing; Targets Nitish Kumar As Well

Patna: Tejashwi Yadav, the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, has launched an attack on the Samrat Chaudhary-led government regarding the 'Rishushri' tender-fixing scandal, posing 20 pointed questions. He alleged that Rishushri benefited several ministers and officials, yet the government is shielding him. The RJD leader also targeted former CM Nitish Kumar; he labeled Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary a "rubber stamp" for the Centre and claimed that a handful of officials are running their own syndicate by benefiting politicians.

What did Tejashwi Yadav say? 

Tejashwi Yadav held a press conference in Patna on Sunday, demanding answers from the government on 20 specific points. He remarked that while the government speaks of "zero tolerance" towards corruption, the administration is actually being run by corrupt officials.

He insisted that leaders in power must answer these questions, noting that senior ministers and officials are implicated in the Rishushri tender-fixing scandal. 
He demanded that the government explain to the people of Bihar why revenue is declining and the fiscal deficit is rising so rapidly. He stated that Bihar is on the verge of bankruptcy, as the treasury was drained to secure votes, and now, under the patronage of senior leaders, officials are looting the remaining funds. Instead of conducting a proper investigation, state and central agencies are busy protecting the wrong people.

What did Tejashwi Yadav say about Bihar government? 

Tejashwi observed that there is no fear of the government today because the Chief Minister is more concerned with his grand bungalow and heavy security than anything else; officials have gauged his competence and capability. Whenever a scam occurs, only low-level clerks or officials face action, while investigative agencies fail to reach the higher-ups. This is precisely why individuals like Rishushri are emboldened.
Tejashwi questioned how a minor contractor like Rishushri became influential enough to manage tenders across government departments. ED investigations revealed that he was a favorite of several high-ranking officials, yet the "big fish" were left out of the charge sheet in this case. 
He questioned the reason for the delay in filing the charge sheet and pointed out that while two officials were suspended in connection with the matter, their names were omitted from the charge sheet. 
"Why were they not arrested alongside their suspension? Did the government fear that these individuals would expose them? The full extent of the scam in this matter has not been revealed," he said. 
The RJD leader stated that a syndicate controlling government tenders is operating across Bihar. Why did the Chief Minister's Office not even get wind of this? The reason is likely that a 'percentage game' (kickbacks) was at play. The government should order an independent inquiry into the tenders awarded to Rishushree or its associated companies. The government is shying away from this because the true faces of many individuals would be exposed. It is surprising that the Vigilance and Intelligence departments remained unaware of these massive financial transactions and foreign trips. Why did the ministers of the departments where these scams occurred not take responsibility for them?