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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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
