Jan Suraaj alleges NDA diverted ₹14,000 crore World Bank funds ahead of Bihar polls
New Delhi: Still recovering from its poor performance in the Bihar Assembly elections, the Prashant Kishor-led Jan Suraaj has levelled serious allegations against the NDA government, claiming that money transferred to women voters under a state scheme may have come from funds originally sanctioned by the World Bank.
Speaking to ANI, Jan Suraaj spokesperson Pavan Verma said the party had information suggesting that the ₹10,000 credited to the accounts of 1.25 crore women voters under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana was drawn from ₹21,000 crore allocated by the World Bank for another project. He alleged that ₹14,000 crore was moved “an hour before the model code of conduct came into force,” though he also admitted that the information “may or may not be true”.
“If this is wrong, I seek forgiveness. But if it is true, the question of ethics arises,” Verma said, adding that governments were capable of reallocating funds and justifying the move after elections.
Verma also claimed that Bihar’s public debt stands at ₹4.06 lakh crore, with a daily interest burden of ₹63 crore. He alleged that the state’s finances were under severe stress and that the “treasury is empty”.
He further said that ahead of voting, rumours had circulated that women who had not yet received the ₹10,000 benefit, around 2.5 crore of the state’s four crore women, might not get the money if the NDA failed to return to power. This, he suggested, had influenced voter behaviour.
Asked whether such welfare transfers had become a decisive factor in the polls, Verma referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s past criticism of “freebies”, noting, “Maybe he said it in the context of Delhi and former CM Arvind Kejriwal. Now what happened in Bihar?”
Verma rejected speculation that Jan Suraaj’s performance was weakened by Prashant Kishor’s earlier stand on lifting the liquor ban if elected. He argued that illegal liquor was available across the state at inflated prices and that the burden ultimately fell on women running households.
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RCB beat MI by 18 runs after batters fire
Mumbai (PTI): Royal Challengers Bengaluru skipper Rajat Patidar, Phil Salt and Virat Kohli blasted half-centuries as the defending champions beat Mumbai Indians by 18 runs in an Indian Premier League match here on Sunday.
Salt (78 off 36 balls) and Kohli (50 off 38 balls) stitched together a 120-run stand for the opening wicket before Patidar scored a rapid 53 off just 20 balls as RCB posted 240 for 4.
In response, Mumbai Indians were restricted to 222 for 5, with RCB spinner Suyash Sharma (2/47) putting the skids on the home side with a double strike in the eighth over, from which they could not recover.
Sherfane Rutherford top-scored for MI with an unbeaten 71 off 31 balls.
While opener Rohit Sharma appeared to be struggling with a hamstring issue and had to retire hurt on 19, his partner Ryan Rickelton made 37, while Suryakumar Yadav (33) and Hardik Pandya (40) were the other contributors for MI.
Brief scores:
Royal Challengers Bengaluru 240 for 4 in 20 overs (Phil Salt 78, Virat Kohli 50, Rajat Patidar 53, Tim David 35 not out).
Mumbai Indians: 222 for 5 in 20 overs (Sherfane Rutherford 71 not out, Ryan Rickelton 37, Hardik Pandya 40; Suyash Sharma 2/47).
