In a statement that has sparked a controversy in Bihar, the state’s Agriculture minister Sudhakar Singh has claimed that there are many ‘thieves” in his department and that he is the “sardar (chief)” of them. In what appeared to be a dig at the Chief Minister, Singh said there are many other “Sardars” above him too. Singh was addressing a public meeting in Kaimur, Bihar. 

“There is not a single wing of our (agriculture) department that does not commit acts of theft. As I am the in-charge of the department, I become their Sardar. There are many other chieftains above me too. The government has changed, but the working style remained the same. Everything is the same as before,” the minister said.

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Speaking to reporters later, Singh said that he stood by his remarks. 

Singh further alleged that the Bihar State Seed Corporation embezzled around Rs 200 crore in the name of providing relief to farmers. “The farmers who had to cultivate good quality paddy, do not take paddy seeds of Bihar State Seed Corporation. Even if they take it for some reason, they do not put it in their fields. Instead of giving relief to the farmers, the seed corporations steal Rs 100-150 crore,” he said.

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Singh further attacked Janata Dal (United) MLA from Chainpur and the Minority Affairs Minister Mohammad Jama Khan, saying that the latter had been a minister in the government even before but the condition of the people in the region had hardly changed.

“Now there are two ministers from the district. Even after that, if the situation does not change, then what is the benefit of becoming a minister? Kaimur district is full of corrupt officials,” the minister alleged. 

Notably, Singh, the son of RJD state president Jagdanand Singh and an MLA from the Ramgarh seat of Buxar, was alleged to have been involved in a rice scam while he was a minister in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet in 2013.

He has, however, rubbished these allegations. 

(With inputs from ANI)