Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar asserted on Tuesday that his NDA government eradicated recurring Hindu-Muslim clashes in the state through decisive actions like fencing graveyards and prosecuting those involved in communal riots. Speaking during a debate on the governor’s address in the state assembly, Kumar, the JD(U) president, highlighted his administration’s achievements ahead of the 2025 assembly polls, where he aims for a fifth consecutive term.

Kumar, in power since 2005, contrasted the current stability with the pre-NDA era, claiming lawlessness and poor roads once gripped Bihar. “People feared stepping out after dusk,” he said, irritation flaring as opposition members disrupted him with slogans. Rebuking them as “children,” he singled out Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav, saying, “Even he’s a child,” and urged journalists to verify the dire past conditions.

The 74-year-old CM attributed past communal strife to disputes over graveyard land, indirectly jabbing the RJD-Congress combine for failing to curb clashes despite Muslim support. “We fenced thousands of graveyards at government expense and brought Bhagalpur riot culprits to justice,” Kumar declared, crediting these measures for ending Hindu-Muslim conflicts. The 1989 Bhagalpur riots, a dark chapter, saw over 1,000 deaths, mostly Muslims, with justice long delayed until his tenure.

Opposition MLAs staged a walkout, prompting Kumar to taunt, “We’ll return after the elections; they’ll be decimated. They’ve fled because they know nothing.” Reaffirming his BJP alliance after rejoining the NDA in 2024, he accused Yadav, his ex-deputy, of “wrongdoing” during their brief INDIA bloc stint. The JD(U) supremo’s fiery defense underscored his confidence in the NDA’s hold on Bihar, framing his governance as a antidote to past chaos while setting the stage for a heated electoral showdown later this year.