Tejashwi Yadav questions Rs 100 cr spend amid devastating floods

RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav attacked the Bihar government for allegedly spending Rs 100 crore on lighting lamps for PM Modi's birthday. He questioned the expenditure when lakhs are affected by devastating floods and basic infrastructure is lacking.

RJD leader and Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday attacked the state government here over the alleged expenditure of Rs 100 crore on lighting lamps on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday, questioning the move when lakhs of people are affected by devastating floods in the state.

Yadav Questions Priorities Amid Floods

"You must have noticed that over 45 lakh people in Bihar are suffering due to devastating floods; they have no food or clean water, and lives are being lost. Yet the government has made no proper arrangements for them. Instead, on the Prime Minister's birthday, a staggering 100 crore rupees, drawn from the state's already depleted treasury, is being squandered merely on lighting lamps," Yadav told reporters.

He alleged that officials and schoolchildren were being mobilised for the event instead of focusing on governance priorities. "These funds should have been used for immediate flood relief. Instead, government officials are being deployed for publicity campaigns, and schoolchildren are being forced to participate. There is no focus on improving education, yet children are forced to light lamps. Schools lack functional computers, basic fans, and proper infrastructure; the quality of education is abysmal, yet the focus remains on lamp lighting. What are these lamps even for?" he said.

Yadav further linked the issue to broader economic distress. "Inflation is rampant, unemployment is high, and the country's economy is in ruins. Farmers and labourers are devastated. There are no jobs or opportunities, yet the government insists on lighting lamps," he said.

Alleges 'Forced' Birthday Celebrations

In a post on X, Yadav also alleged that the government had issued a directive making it mandatory to light diyas at schools, government buildings and public places on PM Modi's birthday.

"Forced 'Happy Birthday to Modi Ji' via Government Order! For the first time in the country, a government directive has been issued on the birthday of a Prime Minister who has exceeded the age limit of the advisory board, making it legally mandatory to light diyas at schools, government buildings, and public places like roads, bridges, parks, etc., at a government expense of 100 crore rupees," he wrote.

"Teachers will now skip teaching and, on a holiday, arrive at school at 7-8 PM to light the diyas, guard them, and chant praises of Modi Ji—the UPSC-passed bureaucrat—in an attempt to pass the most difficult paper of blind devotion and earn his blessings," he added.

सरकारी आदेश वाला जबरन Happy Birthday to Modi Ji! देश में ऐसा पहली बार हुआ है जब मार्गदर्शक मंडल की आयु सीमा पार कर चुके किसी प्रधानमंत्री के जन्मदिवस पर सरकारी आदेश निकाल 100 करोड़ के सरकारी खर्च पर स्कूलों, सरकारी भवनों और सार्वजनिक स्थलों जैसे सड़क, पुल, पार्क इत्यादि पर दीये… pic.twitter.com/RJjUr8kgQn — Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) September 17, 2026

Government Assesses Flood Crisis

Yadav's remarks come as Bihar continues to grapple with severe flooding, with nearly 50 lakh people displaced across the state.

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan, along with Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, conducted a ground survey of flood-affected regions on Wednesday, noting that water levels in several areas had surpassed the peak witnessed during the 2016 floods. "They are saying that the water level was one foot higher than even the 2016 floods... People had to abandon their homes—nearly 50 lakh (5 million) people across Bihar. Crops have been damaged, houses have been damaged, and some people are also reporting loss of livestock," Chouhan said, adding that he had been deputed to the state on the instructions of PM Modi to assess the situation and assured full Central assistance.

Choudhary said the state government had already begun transferring Rs 7,000 per family as immediate relief, with Rs 579.23 crore disbursed to over 8.27 lakh flood-affected families through Direct Benefit Transfer.

BJP Marks PM's Birthday with 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan'

BJP is organising the 'Seva Sankalp Abhiyan' nationwide from September 17 to October 17 to mark PM Modi's birthday, with several BJP leaders and chief ministers extending greetings. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, also wished the Prime Minister good health and a long life. (ANI)

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