Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha and Bihar Leader of the Opposition Tejashwi Yadav on Wednesday, 16 September launched sharp criticism of the Centre over its handling of the Bihar flood crisis, as Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan led a central team to the state to assess the damage. Nearly 50 lakh people across 15 districts have reportedly been affected, with several rivers still flowing above danger levels.

Jha's Charge: 'You Have Arrived Very Late'

Speaking at Patna airport, Manoj Jha — RJD's chief national spokesperson — alleged that the Centre's response had been delayed. 'You have arrived very late. Had there been election in Bihar, these 150 people probably would be sitting here. During the election, the entire Cabinet was scrambling, but now, the plight of Bihar is not on their minds. Now they are coming today — I hear they are arriving on a chartered plane. It would have been far better had they spent that money on helping flood victims,' Jha said.

Jha also took a swipe at advocates of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), saying his party's stance had already been stated in Parliament. 'Those talking about the UCC are engaging in dog-whistle politics,' he said, also citing a statement attributed to RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, who reportedly said 'uniformity is not essential for unity.'

Tejashwi Yadav Questions Purpose of Visit

A day earlier, on Tuesday, Tejashwi Yadav questioned whether Chouhan was arriving to deliver real assistance to flood victims or merely for a photo opportunity. Yadav demanded that the flood situation be declared a national disaster and asked why the Centre had not extended greater financial assistance to Bihar. His criticism follows a pattern of earlier demands for a special relief package and allegations that Bihar has faced discrimination in Centre-state resource allocation.

Scale of the Flood Crisis

The flooding in Bihar has, according to reports, left nearly 50 lakh people across 15 districts displaced or affected. Several rivers continue to flow above danger levels, even as water has begun receding in certain areas. Damage has been reported to crops, houses, and infrastructure across the affected zones.

Central Team's Programme in Bihar

Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had announced the central team's visit, describing it as an assessment mission covering crop loss, housing damage, and infrastructure destruction. The programme includes aerial and ground surveys of areas such as Dighwara and Maner, visits to other flood-hit locations, and a high-level review meeting in Patna to evaluate ongoing relief and rescue operations.

The findings of the central team's assessment are expected to inform decisions on the scale of relief, rehabilitation funding, and possible declaration of a disaster status — a key demand of the opposition. With Bihar's political landscape always closely watched, the Centre's response to this humanitarian crisis is likely to remain under scrutiny in the weeks ahead.