Defeat BJP-JD(U) to rid Bihar of unemployment, migration, 'goonda raj': Cong's appeal to voters
New Delhi (PTI): A day before polling for the first phase of Bihar assembly polls, the Congress Wednesday put out 20 points on what it called "deceptions, injustices, and neglect inflicted upon" the state by the BJP-JD(U) government, urging the voters to defeat the NDA to end unemployment, migration, corruption, and "goonda raj".
Congress general secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh alleged that the NDA has pushed Bihar's bright future into darkness for the sake of its own "power-hungry interests".
"Before the first phase of voting on November 6 tomorrow, be sure to take a look at these 20 points on the deceptions, injustices, and neglect inflicted on Bihar by the BJP-JD(U) government over the past 20 years," Ramesh said on X, listing out the 20 points.
He pointed out that more than 10 recruitment and entrance exams in the state were leaked, with scandals erupting.
"The futures of lakhs of youth were ruined. When the youth took to the streets demanding justice, they were mercilessly beaten with batons," Ramesh said.
He also cited a sting operation to claim that papers and degrees are sold in Bihar for anywhere from Rs 20 to 50 lakh.
"Due to the NDA government's failed economic and employment policies, crores of people were forced to leave their homes and migrate to other states for labour work. According to the Modi government's own e-Shram portal, 3 crore 18 lakh people from Bihar are engaged in labour in other states," the Congress general secretary said.
Claiming that the BJP-JD(U) has turned Bihar into the country's poorest state, Ramesh cited the caste-based survey in the state and said 64 per cent of the population is surviving on just Rs 67 a day, with the most affected being the extremely backward classes and Dalits.
"Industries and businesses have been devastated. Even those industrialists running businesses on their own steam are now insecure. In the last 6 months, 11 industrialists have been murdered," Ramesh said.
In Bihar, "goonda raj" and the kidnapping industry are thriving -- on an average, 8 murders, 33 kidnappings, and 136 heinous crimes occur every day, he claimed.
He also pointed to the CAG exposing a "scam" worth 70,000 crore rupees.
In the last 3 years, 27 major bridges collapsed due to corruption, he said.
"The CAG report states that Bihar's health system is in shambles—60% shortage of staff, 86% shortage of specialist doctors, 57% shortage of resources from district hospitals to Primary Health Centre (PHCs), and a shortage of beds in 93% of hospitals," the Congress leader said.
"According to the NGT, pollution in 'Ma Ganga' has increased - out of 13 sewage treatment plants, only 7 are operational, and even those are not up to standard levels," he said.
Under the guise of alcohol prohibition, an empire of illegal liquor has been established, he claimed, adding that from 2016 until now, 190 deaths from poisonous liquor have taken place, mostly in Saran, Siwan, Gaya, Bhojpur, Buxar, and Gopalganj.
"The school education system has collapsed - dropout rate of 26% (the highest in the country), no electricity in 1,16,529 schools, only one teacher in 2,637 schools, and not a single student in 117 schools," Ramesh said.
He further claimed that the higher education is in utter disarray with gross enrolment ratio of 17.1 per cent (the lowest in the country), and only 7 colleges per lakh population, when the national average is 30.
"Farmers' incomes have completely dried up -- no benefits under the KUSUM scheme, and out of Rs 3,980 crore in the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, only Rs 915 crore has been spent," Ramesh said.
He further alleged that the daughters of Bihar have been trapped in the web of microfinance loans with "recovery mafias' reign of terror" intensifying.
Ramesh also alleged "massive scams" in MGNREGA with prevalence of fake attendance, fake photos, payments in the names of the deceased.
"The Srijan scam - direct loot of 1,000 crore rupees. 1,000 acres of land given to Adani at the rate of 1 rupee per acre. Even in nutritional meals, there's a scam - out of 1,14,000 anganwadis, growth monitoring machines are non-functional in 50,000," he claimed.
Ramesh alleged that corruption in the state is at its peak and according to the Economic Offences Unit and Vigilance Department, there are graft cases against 4,200 government officials, Ramesh said.
He urged the people of Bihar to defeat the BJP-JD(U).
"Unemployment, migration, corruption, and goonda raj will end on their own," Ramesh said.
The stage is set for the crucial first phase of the assembly elections in Bihar on Thursday, as 3.75 crore voters will decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, including top leaders such as INDIA bloc's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP.
Yadav aims at a hat-trick in Raghopur, while his principal challenger Satish Kumar of the BJP had defeated his mother Rabri Devi in 2010 while contesting on a JD(U) symbol.
The Bihar polls are being 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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Protesters clash with police during torch rally in Manipur
Imphal (PTI): People protesting the death of two children in a recent bomb blast in Manipur clashed with security forces during a torch rally in the state capital Imphal, police said.
Two children died in a bomb blast at Tronglaobi in Bishnupur on April 7. The Imphal Valley districts have been witnessing daily protests over the incident.
A seven-km-long torch rally was brought out from Mayai Lambi to Keishamthong in Imphal West district on Monday night, but the participants turned violent and clashed with the security forces, a police officer said.
Security forces fired several rounds of tear gas shells in Keishamthong area after hundreds of protesters defying curfew demanded they be allowed to proceed for another 200 metres towards Keisampat area, which is close to the Lok Bhavan and the BJP state office, he said.
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Orders prohibiting the movement of any individuals outside their respective homes are in force in all the five valley districts from 5 pm to 5 am.
"Protesters pelted the security forces with stones and iron pellets from catapults, endangering the lives of the heavily outnumbered security forces," the officer said.
Manipur Police have, meanwhile, arrested 19 people for violating curfew and committing offences, including blocking roads and damaging public property, in the Greater Imphal area. They were nabbed from different parts of Imphal West district on Sunday, a police statement said.
In the Ukhrul district headquarters, a candlelight vigil was held on Monday night to honour the two Tangkhul Naga civilians who were killed in an ambush in TM Kasom area in the district on April 18.
Various civil society organisations from both the valley and hill areas strongly condemned the brutal killings, alleging that the victims were shot by Kuki militants using sniper rifles.
