Crimes against women 'skyrocketed uncontrollably' under BJP-JD(U) rule in Bihar: Congress
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Tuesday alleged that crimes against women have "skyrocketed uncontrollably" under the BJP-JD(U) rule in Bihar and posed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the alleged "neglect" of women's safety, health, and dignity in the last 20 years.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the BJP-JD(U) over the security situation for women and asserted that the Mahagathbandhan is fully committed to their empowerment and economic upliftment.
Kharge said the Congress' promises are not just to garner votes during elections or right before them, but rather, they are the same promises that the party will fulfil.
Congress general secretary in charge of communications, Jairam Ramesh, alleged that for the 20 years under the BJP-JD(U) government in Bihar, there has been a "consistent neglect" of women's safety, health, and dignity.
The prime minister didn't remember to check on Bihar's women for an entire decade, and now, at election time, a sham digital outreach is being staged for votes, Ramesh said.
In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, "The BJP-JDU government in Bihar has been in power for 20 years. If even today, Modi ji has to say that in Bihar 'daughters-in-law and daughters are not safe', then this is his self-admission that in 20 years, they have not made Bihar safe!".
He alleged that the situation of women and children in the state is extremely alarming.
Citing data from the National Family Health Survey (NFHS), Kharge claimed that 70 per cent of children in the state were afflicted with anaemia and 40 per cent were victims of malnutrition. Only 11 per cent of infants receive adequate nutrition, he said.
The Mahagathbandhan is fully committed to the empowerment and economic upliftment of half the population, he said, referring to women.
Listing the promises made to women by the Mahagathbandhan, Kharge said they will be given an assistance of Rs 2,500 per month if the opposition alliance comes to power.
A monthly pension of Rs 1,500-Rs 3,000 would be given to the elderly, widows, and disabled, while Jeevika Didis will be given official status, he said.
"Our promises are not just to garner votes during elections or right before them, but rather, they are the same promises that we will fulfil-and we have already fulfilled them in Congress-ruled states," he said.
Ramesh further slammed the government for the alleged rise in crimes against women.
"That's why today we're asking three direct questions: Crimes against women have skyrocketed uncontrollably under the BJP-JD(U) rule: A 336 per cent increase in crimes against women -- compared to before, now 20,222 crimes every year, with a total of 2,80,000 women victimised so far," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
Ramesh said 1,17,947 cases were pending in courts, with a 98.2 per cent pendency rate -- which he claimed was the highest in the country.
He said there has been a 1097 per cent surge in cases of women abductions -- from 929 in a year earlier to 10,190 every year now.
Despite record-breaking crimes against women, why has the BJP-JD(U) government failed to provide them security, Ramesh asked.
Women and adolescent girls in Bihar are suffering from severe anaemia, he said, adding that the data shows the situation is extremely alarming. Despite such a massive health crisis for women, why has the BJP-JD(U) government turned a blind eye, Ramesh asked.
Panicking over an impending electoral defeat, the government is now depositing Rs 10,000 into women's accounts, he claimed.
"But lakhs of daughters in Bihar are badly trapped in the debt web of microfinance companies: 1 crore 9 lakh women are already ensnared in this debt trap. Average outstanding dues have reached up to 30,000 rupees/month. As a result, there's a reign of terror by recovery agents, social humiliation, migration, and even suicides," Ramesh said.
"Sunita Devi from West Champaran is a living example of this: She took a loan of 40,000 rupees. After insurance/deductions, she received 33,000 rupees in hand and repaid 68,200 rupees over 2 years at 2,800/month. Even so, as soon as one instalment was missed, she received a threat from recovery agents that they would abduct her daughter," the Congress leader said.
And this is no exception -- there are lakhs of such cases in Bihar, Ramesh added.
"So the question is: Whose patronage is the microfinance mafia receiving? No compromise on women's safety, dignity, and rights. For liberation from atrocities against women -- freedom from NDA's rule is essential," Ramesh said.
The Bihar polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and results will be announced on November 14.
The opposition INDIA bloc, which has the RJD, the Congress and the Left parties as the main constituents, has declared RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav its chief ministerial candidate.
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Rupee hits record low of 96.14/USD, settles at fresh closing low of 95.86/USD
Mumbai (PTI): The Indian rupee crashed below the 96/USD mark on Friday before closing at an all-time low of 95.86 (provisional) against the US dollar as elevated crude oil prices and inflation concerns added to the downside pressure on the rupee.
Rupee has registered over 6 per cent losses so far this year, and in the past six trading sessions, it has depreciated nearly 2 per cent as Iran war risk escalation pushed crude oil prices higher. The dollar index moved northwards after strong US retail sales and stable labour market data reduced expectations of aggressive Federal Reserve rate cuts.
Forex traders said global uncertainties, relatively high valuations, and the lack of AI-led investment opportunities have weighed on capital flows.
Moreover, weak net FDI inflows are likely to exert pressure on the balance of payments, while rising crude oil prices stoke inflation worries.
At the interbank foreign exchange, the rupee opened at 95.86, then slumped to a record low of 96.14 in intraday trade, registering a fall of 50 paise from its previous close.
The USD/INR pair finally settled at 95.86 (provisional) against the US dollar, registering a fall of 22 paise from its previous close, helped by likely RBI intervention.
On Thursday, the rupee weakened to a fresh record low of 95.96 before closing with a marginal gain of 2 paise at 95.64 against the US dollar.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading at 99.15, higher by 0.34 per cent.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading up 3.14 per cent at USD 109.04 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, Sensex fell 160.73 points to settle at 75,237.99, while Nifty declined 46.10 points to 23,643.50.
Foreign Institutional Investors turned net buyers, purchasing equities worth Rs 187.46 crore on Thursday, according to exchange data.
Meanwhile, the country's exports in April rose by 13.78 per cent to USD 43.56 billion despite global challenges, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said on Friday.
Imports grew 10 per cent year-on-year to USD 71.94 billion in April. The trade deficit during the month stood at USD 28.38 billion.
"We expect the rupee to trade with a negative bias on elevated crude oil prices and inflation concerns. Strong dollar and FII outflows may also weigh on the rupee. However, any intervention by the RBI and hiking of import duty on gold and silver may support the rupee at lower levels. USD-INR spot price is expected to trade in a range of 95.60 to 96.20," said Anuj Choudhary, Research analyst at Mirae Asset ShareKhan.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump on Friday hailed their talks as "historic" and "landmark", as the American leader wrapped up his three-day visit on a high note, but no deals on any contentious issues were announced.
Both Presidents, who held several rounds of talks covering a range of global issues, including the Iran war and bilateral trade frictions, concluded their discussions with a private meeting at Zhongnanhai, the well-guarded compound in Beijing where top leaders reside.
