New Delhi, Agency
As Bihar gears up for the first phase of voting on November 6, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh today criticised the BJP-JD(U) government in the state and accused the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) of years of "deception, injustice, and neglect."
Pointing out that this had severely undermined the state's development and the welfare of its citizens, Ramesh highlighted 20 critical points outlining alleged failures and scandals under the NDA rule.
In a statement on X he said the ruling alliance has consistently "prioritized its political power over Bihar's bright future."
He criticised the handling of the issues of employment and education and pointed out ‘’widespread irregularities in recruitment.’’
More than ten recruitment and entrance exam papers in the state were leaked, with scandals erupting. The future of lakhs of youth was ruined, Ramesh said.
He criticized the government's response to protests, adding, "When the youth took to the streets demanding justice, they were mercilessly beaten with batons."
Ramesh also cited evidence of systemic corruption, including a sting operation that exposed the "sale of academic papers and degrees for huge sums, ranging from 20 to 50 lakh rupees."
He painted a bleak picture of Bihar's economic situation, attributing mass migration to the government's policies. "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,’’ Ramesh claimed.
"According to the Modi government's own e-Shram portal, 3 crore 18 lakh Biharis are engaged in labour in other states."
Ramesh further accused the administration of reducing Bihar to "the poorest state in India," referencing a recent caste-based survey. This survey reportedly revealed that "64 percent of the population [is] surviving on just 67 rupees a day, with Dalits and extremely backward classes most affected."
The opposition leader expressed concern over the security situation, citing crime statistics. "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 observed.
On the financial front, Ramesh pointed to a staggering "70,000-crore rupee scam uncovered by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)" and highlighted infrastructure failures, including the "collapse of 27 major bridges in the last three years due to corruption."
He also condemned the state’s public health crisis, citing a CAG report detailing critical staff and infrastructure shortages: a "60 percent shortage of health staff, 86 percent shortage of specialist doctors and a 93 percent shortage of hospital beds."
Ramesh further condemned the state of governance, remarking, "Corruption in the state is at its peak," citing over 4,200 government officials accused of corruption.
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