A massive political row has erupted in Bihar after the state government withdrew the top-tier Z-plus security cover provided to former Chief Ministers Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi. Expressing sharp resentment over the decision, the veteran Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leaders flatly rejected the newly assigned downsized security detail on Saturday morning, sending the state police and paramilitary staff away from their official residence at 10, Circular Road in Patna.
Following his parents’ decision, their son and the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, also voluntarily surrendered his official Y-category security cover. The party has slammed the administrative review as an act of political vendetta by the current National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary.
The Downsizing Controversy: Then vs. Now
The drastic cuts followed a high-level review by the state security committee, which slashed the protection long enjoyed by the state’s high-profile political family.
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Previous Cover (Z-plus): Both Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi separately commanded an elite 36-person security detail, which included 10 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) commandos.
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Revised Cover (Rejected): The security detail was drastically downscaled to a minimal contingent of two to eight house guards from the Bihar Special Armed Police (BSAP), two bodyguards from the Patna District Force, a pilot vehicle, and a bulletproof car.
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Family Impact: Beyond Lalu and Rabri, their elder son Tej Pratap Yadav had his Y-category cover entirely stripped down to a single bodyguard, while Tejashwi Yadav’s peripheral security elements were altered before he chose to relinquish it altogether.
Family Alleges “Malicious Intent” as Cadres Mobilize
The political atmosphere in Patna has turned highly tense. Soon after the security staff was sent back, a large number of RJD party workers gathered outside the 10, Circular Road estate. Several supporters took up positions along the perimeter walls, standing guard holding traditional wooden sticks (lathis) to form a manual security ring.
Lalu and Rabri’s daughter, Rohini Acharya, took to social media to voice the family’s deep anger, calling the decision a deliberate attempt to compromise their physical safety.
“Given that there is no point in retaining a mere facade of security after such a reduction, Rabri Devi ji has decided to send the security personnel back from her official residence. The entire nation and all of Bihar are witnessing how Bihar’s first female chief minister and her family are being harassed; the people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to every action taken out of vindictiveness.”
— Rohini Acharya, RJD Leader
Double Whammy: The 10, Circular Road Eviction Ultimatum
The sudden withdrawal of security comes right on the heels of a separate administrative clash over the family’s iconic residence. The state’s Building Construction Department issued a firm 15-day ultimatum directing Rabri Devi to completely vacate the prime 10, Circular Road government bungalow by mid-June, reallocating the property to Dairy and Fisheries Minister Nand Kishor Ram.
The state administration argued that Rabri Devi should relocate to her legally designated alternative housing at 39, Hardinge Road, which is allocated to her as the Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Legislative Council. Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary publicly backed the move, stating that official residences are public property meant solely for active ministerial tenures, rather than personal or ancestral estates.
Defying the eviction order, Rabri Devi maintained a firm stance upon returning from a vacation in Delhi, challenging the NDA government to remove her by force. She questioned why other former chief ministers like Nitish Kumar and Jitan Ram Manjhi are permitted to retain expansive state bungalows while her family is being singled out.
