Hyderabad: Former BJP candidate for Hyderabad Lok Sabha constituency Madhavi Latha slammed Rahul Gandhi for calling Bihar “India’s crime capital” and shifted focus to law and order in Congress-ruled Telangana.
In an apparent reference to the Old City of Hyderabad, she alleged that ‘Purani Basti’ is a hotspot for crimes.
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘crime capital’ jab
Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has launched a sharp attack on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government, calling Bihar the “crime capital of India”.
He said this while commenting on the murder of prominent businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna.
In a post on social media platform X on Sunday, Rahul Gandhi stated: “The brazen murder of businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna has once again proven – the BJP and Nitish Kumar together have turned Bihar into India’s crime capital.”
He said that Bihar is living under the shadow of loot, gunfire, and murder, and such incidents have become the “new normal” under the current government.
“Today, Bihar is living under the shadow of loot, fire, and murder. Incidents like these have become the new normal here, and the government has completely failed. Brothers and sisters of Bihar, this injustice cannot be tolerated any longer. A government that cannot protect your children cannot take responsibility for your future,” Rahul Gandhi said.
Describing every crime as “a cry for change”, the Congress leader urged the people of Bihar to vote for a new direction in the upcoming Assembly elections.
“Now is the time for a new Bihar, where there is progress, not fear. This time, the vote is not just to change the government but to save Bihar,” Gandhi said.
The murder of Gopal Khemka took place around 11.40 p.m. on Friday near Gandhi Maidan, just a short distance from the local police station and the District Magistrate’s residence, raising serious questions over policing in high-security zones.
Following the incident, opposition leaders, including Tejashwi Yadav and Prashant Kishor, criticised the Nitish government for failing to maintain law and order in the state.
Even leaders within the ruling NDA, including Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, and LJP (RV) MP Rajesh Verma, have admitted that lapses occurred in this case. The incident has intensified political debate in Bihar ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections, placing law and order at the forefront of the state’s political narrative.
Madhavi Latha on Hyderabad situation
The former BJP candidate for the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat consistently targets the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) over civic and law & order problems in the Old City.
Recently, she slammed AIMIM over the temporary shed at Bibi Ka Alawa.
Now, she has reacted to Rahul Gandhi’s jab at Bihar’s law and order situation and targeted the Congress, alleging that ‘Purani Basti’ is a hotspot for crimes.
