Bihar Minister Shreyasi Singh Clarifies Remarks as Jamui Incident Sparks Political Row

Bihar Industries and Sports Minister Shreyasi Singh stated on Tuesday that her comments on moral policing regarding the Jamui incident were taken out of context. The controversy began after a viral television interview clip showed Singh saying that moral policing could be done in a more decent fashion, though the mistreatment of the boy and girl was intolerable. Leader of Opposition Tejashwi Yadav shared the clip on X, criticizing Singh and questioning if NDA ministers wanted harassment and assault carried out in a respectful manner. Singh explained that the viral video was part of a longer interview conducted during an official meeting, and her repeated assertions that such incidents would not be tolerated clearly conveyed her position. She maintained that justice, accountability, and public safety remained the priority, noting she and Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary were monitoring the situation with the district administration. Meanwhile, JD(U) state president Umesh Kushwaha also faced backlash for calling the Jamui case an isolated and minor incident before claiming his remarks were distorted. The political outcry follows an incident where two school-going teenagers returning from tuition classes were accosted in Jamui, with the boy assaulted and the girl molested. Police registered a case under the POCSO Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. On Tuesday, main accused Nandan Yadav and a second accused sustained leg injuries during a police encounter after allegedly opening fire on a team, and were admitted to Sadar Hospital. Three juveniles had earlier been apprehended, while police worked to remove videos of the incident from social media platforms.