Bihar elections results will be announced on November 10Bihar Assembly Election: Amid the opposition’s criticism of the BJP’s Bihar poll promise of free Covid vaccines, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted on Saturday that the announcement was perfectly in order and a party can announce what it wants to do when it comes to power.
Sitharaman had released BJP’s manifesto for the Bihar polls earlier this week. A highlight of the promises made in the document was free Covid-19 vaccines for the state’s people if the saffron party comes back to power.
Earlier today, the Rashtriya Janata Party(RJD) released its manifesto for the upcoming assembly Bihar elections on Tuesday. Party leader Tejashwi Yadav has 13 public rallies — one in Bhagalpur, three in Banka, four in Jamui, three in Munger and one each in Shekhpura and Patna. On the other hand, BJP national president JP Nadda is also scheduled to hold two rallies in Biharsharif and Lakhisarai.
Apart from Nadda, other BJP leaders including Smriti Irani, Manoj Tiwari, Nityanand Rai, Sanjay Jaiswal, Ashwini Choubey and Mukesh Sahni are scheduled to address the public at different locations in the poll-bound state. Meanwhile, Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi is admitted to AIIMS, Patna after he was diagnosed with Covid-19.
Voting for 243 assembly seats in the state will be held on October 28, November 3 and November 7 and results will be announced on November 10.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Grand Alliance's chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav at a public meeting in Hisua in Bihar's Nawada district. (Source: Bihar Youth Congress/Twitter)
Janata Dal Rashtrawadi party candidate for Bihar Elections, Narayan Singh - who was shot at in Hathsar village of Sheohar district - succumbs to his injuries. Two of his attackers arrested and admitted to hospital after they were injured.
In a stinging attack on the opposition RJD in poll-bound Bihar, Union minister Smriti Irani on Saturday asserted that "riches acquired through the fodder scam" will find no takers among the self-respecting people of the state.
The firebrand BJP leader, who addressed her first couple of rallies in the state, also invoked the imagery of Laxmi, the goddess of wealth, and remarked that people knew "she comes carrying the lotus and not the lantern", an obvious allusion to the poll symbols of BJP and the RJD respectively.
"When the self-respecting people of Bihar pray to Goddess Bhagwati, they seek the strength to earn their bread through hard work. They do not seek a share in wealth earned through chaara ghotala", said Irani, in an apparent reference to RJD supremo Lalu Prasad who is in Ranchi, serving sentences in fodder scam cases.
Prasad's younger son and heir apparent Tejashwi Yadav, who has been named by the opposition Grand Alliance as its Chief Ministerial candidate, has been trying to woo the voters with his promise of 10 lakh permanent government jobs if the party came to power.
Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik on Saturday hit out at the BJP for promising free coronavirus vaccine to the people of poll-bound Bihar, adding that such an announcement during a nationwide outbreak is injustice to other citizens.
The state minority development minister, speaking at a press conference in Aurangabad, added that "in Maharashtra, our government will provide the vaccine for free".
Malik said the coronavirus-induced lockdown which led to loss of lives and jobs could have been avoided if the Centre had immediately "sealed borders after the WHO alerted about the virus on December 31 (2019)".
He said the working of the Waqf Board will be made online and a tendering process for this will be completed in the next six months.
Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Nawab Malik on Saturday hit out at the BJP for promising free coronavirus vaccine to the people of poll-bound Bihar, adding that such an announcement during a nationwide outbreak is injustice to other citizens.
The state minority development minister, speaking at a press conference in Aurangabad, added that "in Maharashtra, our government will provide the vaccine for free".
Malik said the coronavirus-induced lockdown which led to loss of lives and jobs could have been avoided if the Centre had immediately "sealed borders after the WHO alerted about the virus on December 31 (2019)".
He said the working of the Waqf Board will be made online and a tendering process for this will be completed in the next six months.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday addressed a poll rally in LJP founder Ram Vilas Paswan's native Alauli assembly seat but refrained from speaking anything either against the party or its president Chirag Paswan who has been attacking him regularly.
After dissociating his party from the ruling NDA in Bihar, Chirag has been hitting out at the chief minister almost on a daily basis in his election meetings as well as in the social media, but Kumar has chosen not to react to him.
Kumar maintained the same approach and avoided making any reference either about Chirag or his party at his rally in
Alauli during the day. Alauli reserved seat includes Paswan's birth place Saharbbani village in the Khagaria district.
Over 15 years and three electoral victories, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has counted on women voters, who have stood by him for his schemes, including cycles for girl students, the expansion of women self-help groups under the Jeevika programme, reservation of 50% of seats for women at the panchayat level, and of course, the prohibition law, introduced in April 2016.
Come 2020, this support is showing signs of fracture, under the blows of a parallel alcohol economy and the economic distress left by the lockdown. Click here to know more.
Amid the opposition's criticism of the BJP's Bihar poll promise of free Covid vaccines, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted on Saturday that the announcement was perfectly in order and a party can announce what it wants to do when it comes to power.
Sitharaman had released BJP's manifesto for the Bihar polls earlier this week. A highlight of the promises made in the document was free Covid-19 vaccines for the state's people if the saffron party comes back to power.
Former Maharashtra chief minister and BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, who is the party's in-charge of Bihar elections, Saturday said in a tweet that he has tested positive for Covid-19.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) promised to build a “new Bihar” by bringing in overall development in the party manifesto that it released for the Bihar assembly elections in Patna on Saturday. “Our party’s resolution is to bring overall development to the state and create a new stunning Bihar,” RJD leader said.
Titled as ‘Hamara Pran (Our resolution), the 16-page manifesto focuses on issues like employment, women empowerment, agro-industry, education, smart village, Panchayati Rajm poverty, community development and healthcare services.
“This is not a manifesto, it is our pledge to bring a change which is set to become true. Every sector has been taken into consideration while preparing this so that we can make Bihar a happy, better and prosperous state. In our manifesto, Lalu ji and Rabri Ji’s message has also been given to the people of Bihar,” Tejashwi said.
Upping the ante against the state government over liquor prohibition, LJP leader Chirag Paswan said: "In the name of liquor ban, the citizens of Bihar are being turned into bootleggers. The mothers and daughters of Bihar don't want to see their children turn into smugglers. Besides the CM, everyone knows how several people are going in the direction of liquor smuggling but everyone has turned silent."
Taking to Twitter, CM candidate of The Plurals Party, Pushpam Priya Choudhary said: "My professors in London and my associates were doubtful if the people will be able to pronounce 'plurals', understanding it might perhaps be a distant dream. Now this is real pluralism, that folk singers have breathed life in a typical foreign word!"
Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel will hold two rallies and one road-show in Bihar today. Here is the schedule:
Tejashwi Yadav said, “People used to make fun that from where we will generate employments. Now, you must understand there is a difference between earning and employment. Here we are talking about government jobs,” Tejashwi Yadav said. He also said that there are employment opportunities for teachers, professors, junior engineers, doctors, nurses lab technicians.
RJD manifesto includes Tejashwi Yadav's promise of 10 lakh jobs and equal pay for equal work among other things. “I am promising 10 lakh jobs. I could have also promised one crore jobs just for the sake of promise. But I am not doing that because this will become a reality in the first meeting of the Cabinet. This will be the first time in the country that 10 lakh employment opportunities will be created at one go. This figure is what we require in the state’s workforce at present,” Tejashwi said.
The residents of 108 villages in Bihar’s Kaimur plateau have announced that they will boycott the forthcoming Assembly polls to protest an alleged police crackdown on the area’s tribal population last month. The police action came when the tribals were protesting, among other issues, the declaration of the area as a tiger reserve.
The protests were led by Kaimur Mukti Morcha (KMM), which alleged that 25 activists from the area were arrested on false charges. The villagers accused the Forest Department of forceful evictions and bulldozing of crops, despite a Supreme Court stay on evictions.
KMM has demanded that the government declare Kaimur a scheduled area. The creation of a tiger reserve in the region must be done only after consent by the gram sabhas and approval of the tribal population, it has said.
“Look,” she says angrily. Mamta Devi’s right arm is outstretched, her fingers balled into a fist. Just above the two bangles on her wrist are two bruises — left by her drunk husband as she came between him and their two young children. “Show these wounds to anyone who claims there is prohibition in Bihar,” says the 32-year-old.
Over 15 years and three electoral victories, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has counted on women voters, who have stood by him for his schemes, including cycles for girl students, the expansion of women self-help groups under the Jeevika programme, reservation of 50% of seats for women at the panchayat level, and of course, the prohibition law, introduced in April 2016.
Come 2020, this support is showing signs of fracture, under the blows of a parallel alcohol economy and the economic distress left by the lockdown.
LJP leader Chirag Paswan shared a video of him paying tributes to his father and former Union minister, Ram Vilas Paswan, who passed away earlier this month.
In an open challenge to Nitish Kumar on Saturday, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav asked the Chief Minister to name any one police station where cases are probed without involving bribes. Taking to Twitter, he said: “This is a straight and an open challenge. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar should name at least one police station where work is done without involving bribes. If you think am wrong, then you are free to ask the public during your rallies. You will get the answer.
While addressing the media, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav said: "The BJP has named Nitish Kumar as its CM candidate. But Nitish has washed his hands off, saying he won't be able to provide 10 lakh jobs. So how can the BJP give? Who are they fooling?"
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav today released the party's manifesto for the Bihar Elections.
Over the past four Assembly elections in Bihar, women voters have seen a steady rise. In 2015, they overtook their male counterparts by a huge margin, with 60.48% of them turning out to vote compared to 53.32% men. The turnout among women in 2015 was the highest in Bihar going as far back as 1962. In terms of overall numbers though, the total men voters (1.9 crore) was slightly more than women (1.89 crore) in 2015. The overall voter turnout that year was 56.66%. Since Jharkhand was carved out in 2000, Bihar has seen Assembly elections in February and October in 2005, 2010 and 2015. In February 2005, an analysis of election data shows, the share of women who voted stood at 42.51% (1.04 crore in all) — showing that in the next 10 years, there was a jump of nearly 20%. Click here to read more.
In his first rally for the Bihar Assembly elections on Friday, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi focused on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government’s policies. However, there is a concerted effort by the Congress this time to ensure the election in Bihar remains about local issues. A large team of leaders from the high command is stationed in Patna micromanaging the campaign and coordinating with allies RJD and the Left parties from behind the scenes — but that’s almost the extent of the Delhi connect. Congress sources said the local leaders are not even keen on too many names from outside barring Rahul Gandhi and the party’s chief ministers coming for campaigning, to ensure that the focus is not diverted from local issues. There is a clear instruction to leaders specifically to not raise divisive issues or react to controversial or emotive topics thrown up by the BJP. Click here to read more.
Beginning his campaign for the dead-heat Bihar Assembly elections, former Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday addressed a joint rally with RJD leader and the Opposition alliance’s chief ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav, but their speeches reflected a striking contrast in approach and style.
Gandhi, addressing the joint public meeting in Hisua in Nawada district, launched a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi — in fact, referring to him by name or as Prime Minister some 20 times — on issues such as demonetisation, Chinese incursion, GST and his government’s handling of the pandemic and the exodus of migrant workers. He mentioned Chief Minister Nitish Kumar barely thrice.
Yadav, on the other hand, referred to Modi only thrice – that too in the context of special package and special status for Bihar – and focused his entire attack on Nitish Kumar, accusing him of failing to create jobs, ruining the healthcare and education system and ignoring the needs of farmers.
Yadav had been keeping his campaign centered on Kumar’s governance record of 15 years, deftly avoiding mention of national issues or taking on Prime Minister Modi.
Kicking off his election rallies in Bihar on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi contrasted the NDA’s work on a “naya Bihar” with the “misrule” of the 1990s, while accusing the Opposition of being anti-reform, and of siding with “dalaal” (brokers), Naxalites and “forces out to weaken the country”.
At three brief halts in Sasaram, Gaya and Bhagalpur, the Prime Minister spoke of the Galwan clash with China in June, in which soldiers of 16 Bihar regiment had been killed, and accused the Opposition of supporting those “conspiring” against India.
“Today, the situation has become such that these people (Opposition parties) do not hesitate to support people who are conspiring to weaken India… The country had been waiting for years to abrogate Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. We took the decision, but today, these people are talking about reversing this decision. They are saying that if they come to power, they will bring back Article 370. And look at their audacity. After saying all this, they still have the nerve to seek votes from the people of Bihar, the Bihar that sends its sons and daughters to guard the country on the border. Is it not an insult to the feelings of Bihar?” he asked the crowd at his first rally in Sasaram.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav will on Saturday address 13 public rallies — one in Bhagalpur, three in Banka, four in Jamui, three in Munger and one each in Shekhpura and Patna.
Apart from Nadda, other BJP leaders including Smriti Irani, Manoj Tiwary, Nityanand Rai, Sanjay Jaiswal, Ashwini Choubey and Mukesh Sahni are scheduled to address the public at different locations in the poll-bound state.
BJP national president JP Nadda is also scheduled to hold two rallies in Biharsharif and 12:55 pm and Lakhisarai at 3:10 pm.
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar Friday accused opposition RJD and its allies of seeking votes by creating conflicts and disturbance in society, and thinking just about the families of their leaders once in power. Addressing polls rallies at Dehri on-Sone in Rohtas, and Bhagalpur, where he shared the stage with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kumar said that for him Bihar is his family.
"There are some people who get votes by creating conflict and disturbance in society. And after they win, they think only about their families," he said in an apparent attack on the RJD and its supremo Lalu Prasad. "For these people, family just means the husband, wife, son and daughter. But for me, the entire Bihar is my family," he added. (PTI)
Senior Congress leader M Veerappa Moily on Friday termed as "election stunt" the BJP's promise of free COVID-19 vaccine in its Bihar poll manifesto and alleged that the saffron party was focused on garnering votes with "fake promises". Slamming the BJP, Moily said the declaration of free COVID-19 vaccine exclusively for Bihar is nothing but an "election stunt", partisan, arbitrary, atrocious and an inhuman act.
The BJP would like to swim in "political waters" at the cost of the suffering of the people of the country, he said in a statement. The BJP's focus is only on garnering votes with "fake promises" and not on production of a vaccine or alleviating the sufferings of the poor, the former Union minister alleged.
The country is reeling under serious stress and strain owing to the rapid spread of the coronavirus since February 2020, he said. Hitting out at the Centre over its handling of COVID-19, Moily alleged that the NDA government did not realise the seriousness of the pandemic on time. (PTI)
Kicking off his election rallies in Bihar on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded people of the “misrule” of the 1990s, claimed that the NDA was in the process of making a “naya Bihar”, and accused the Opposition of obstructing the process, and trying to protect the interest of “brokers” by opposing every reform.
At three brief halts in Sasaram, Gaya and Bhagalpur, the Prime Minister also brought up a mention of the Galwan clash with China in June, in which soldiers of 16, Bihar Regiment had been martyred, and claimed that the Opposition was standing with forces that were trying to weaken India. Read more here
Tejashwi Yadav on Friday took a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that the people of Bihar were expecting the PM to speak about the Special State category. Talking to reporters, Tejashwi said, "For how long will the PM keep Bihar from the Special State status category. Bihar had hopes that he would speak about that." "BJP talks about generating 19 lakh jobs depending on private enterprise. We will directly give 10 lakh govt jobs," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched his campaign for the Bihar assembly elections with three back to back rallies where he castigated the opposition over its stand on repeal of Article 370 and reminded the people of the 15-year reign of "crime" and "loot" under the RJD.
Modi addressed rallies in Rohtas, Gaya and Bhagalpur districts, where he shared the stage with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and excoriated the Congress-led opposition for adopting a contrarian position on "any step taken in national interest".
The prime minister counted abrogation of Article 370, the law against triple talaq, commencement of construction of Ram temple at Ayodhya, and military operations at the borders among the steps taken in national interest which the opposition frowned upon. Appealing to the nationalistic zeal of the electorate, Modi raked up the issue of annulment of Article 370 which bestowed special status on the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. (PTI)
In a dig at the BJP's election promise of 19 lakh jobs in Bihar, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that it was similar to that of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of the people. Addressing an election rally here, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar broke the backbone of the farmers, and medium and small businesses in the state. He said that Modi calls himself a nationalist but weakened the country over the last six years. "Economy is suppressed and farmers oppressed," Gandhi added.
Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Friday took a dig at the BJP for "mocking" RJD over its 10 lakh jobs promise and then itself talking about creating 19 lakh jobs in its Bihar election manifesto, saying he did not know that 19 was a smaller number than 10. "After mocking the RJD for promising to create 10 lakh jobs, the NDA has promised to create 19 lakh jobs in Bihar if elected," Chidambaram tweeted. "I did not know that 19 was a smaller number than 10. I think I should go back to primary school," he said.
In its Bihar election manifesto released on Thursday, the BJP sought to reach out to the youth with the promise of 19 lakh jobs in the next five years.
Taking a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday said that the prime minister did not think once about the labourers of the state before announcing the nationwide lockdown to combat the coronavirus infection in the country. He added that many farmers and labourers spoke to him and had said that if the prime minister had given them one day, they would've managed something. "Narendra Modi did not give you even a single day and announced a nationwide lockdown. He did not think for even a minute that how will the labourers of Bihar get the money? How will they get food & drinking water?" Rahul Gandhi slammed PM Modi while addressing a large gathering in Bhagalpur.
"Labourers of Bihar left for their native state & walked thousands of kilometres without food & water. Did PM help you? Did he say that he didn't think & ended up making a mistake? Did he offer buses, trucks, trains to go back home? No," he added. "I met labourers amid Corona pandemic. They told me that had PM given them two days, lakhs of labourers would have easily returned home. They couldn't understand why did the PM not give them at least one day," he added.
The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party on Friday slammed the opposition parties in Bihar and appealed to the people of the state to vote wisely. In a video posted on their Twitter handle, the party said, "You choose parties like Congress and RJD by giving them your valuable vote, but after winning, the MLAs of these parties are sold to the BJP for a few rupees, even then this party shamelessly calls your group an agent of BJP. Do not let your vote go away, strengthen your political voice."
Three former chief election commissioners on Friday said the BJP's move to promise free coronavirus vaccine to people in its manifesto for the Bihar assembly polls cannot be legally faulted, news agency PTI reported. But, the move does raise an ethical question as the model code of conduct is all about ethics, said S Y Quraishi, who served as the poll panel chief between 2010 and 2012.
O P Rawat, who retired as the chief election commissioner in December 2018, reminded that the Supreme Court had made it clear that a party promising something in its manifesto should also mention the budgetary provisions it would put in place to fulfil the promise. One can put anything in the manifesto, but the Supreme Court has ruled that parties have to explain the budgetary provision required to fulfil the promise, Rawat said.
Another former chief election commissioner, who did not wish to go on record, said the timing of manifesto release is also important. "The EC has so far not been able to implement the suggestion that manifestos are released well in advance and not on the eve of the poll," he pointed out.
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav Friday asserted his father and party supremo Lalu Prasad will come out of jail on November 9 after securing bail in a fodder scam case, and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will have his farewell the next day. "Lalu ji is getting released on November 9. He has got one bail and will secure another on November 9, which also happens to be my birthday. The next day, Nitishji will have his farewell, Tejashwi told a poll rally in Hisua, exuding confidence about winning the elections. (PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi pitched for the re-election of current chief minister Nitish Kumar. Addressing a large gathering in Bhagalpur, PM Modi said that Bihar will be developed if Nitish Kumar is re-elected as the chief minister, and added that the parties which are against the NDA are against the growth of the country. "Bihar deserves a quality education. Can it be ensured by those who don't even know the value of education or by those who are working 24/7 to bring IITs and AIIMS to Bihar?" he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the people of Bihar to go local when they shop at the time of festivals. Addressing a public rally in Bhagalpur, the prime minister said, "Each and every citizen of Bihar must cast his/her vote in the upcoming election, following all the COVID-19 guidelines and social distancing norms. Also, I will like to appeal to all to 'Go Local' while you shop for the festivals this year and promote local artisans," he said.
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala on Friday posed some questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi related to the upcoming elections in the state, while addressing a press conference. "We have questions from the people of Bihar. Will the Prime Minister be able to show courage to answer these questions," the Congress party tweeted. Surjewala posed the following questions:
Launching his campaign for the Bihar assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday invoked the alleged reign of "crime" and 'loot" during the 15-year rule of the RJD, as he sought people's vote for the NDA to ensure the state's continuous journey towards "development".
In his first rally in the state, Modi sought votes for another term of the NDA government under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, saying he had been working with the JD(U) president only for the last three-four years and that the state had seen much speedier development in this period.
"The people of Bihar cannot forget the era when life would come to a standstill after sunset. Today, roads, electricity and lights are there. The biggest thing is that a common man in the state can live without any fear," he said. People have decided that those who have a history of making Bihar 'Bimaru' and looted it when in power will not be allowed to rule it again, Modi said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday again accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of having "insulted" the soldiers with his comment that nobody had intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh, and demanded that he tell the country when will the Chinese "be thrown out". Addressing his first rally during the Bihar assembly elections, Gandhi insisted the Chinese army had indeed intruded into Indian territory.
"They have seized 1,200 km of our land. But when the Chinese army intruded, why did our prime minister insult our soldiers by saying that nobody entered into the Indian side?" he said. "The question is, Modi ji, when will you throw out the Chinese soldiers sitting in our territory," Gandhi said. "He bows before the labourers but does not help them when they need it," he said.
LJP chief Chirag Paswan thanks Prime Minister Narendra Modi for remembering his father Ram Vilas Paswan. "As a son, I felt good seeing Prime Minister's love and respect towards my father," says Chirag Paswan.
In his first rally in poll-bound Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday reminded the people of the work the NDA government had accomplished in the state following a 15-year tenure of the RJD government, which was filled with crime and corruption. Speaking in Sasaram, he asked the people to choose “development”, and ensure those who had made Bihar a “Bimaru” state were not voted back.
‘BIMARU’ is an acronym for Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, which was first used to refer to their poor economic conditions.
“The people who once governed Bihar are again looking at the developing state with greedy eyes. But, Bihar must not forget who pushed them backward… that was a time when the state had poor law and order and corruption,” he said. “The people of Bihar cannot forget the era when life would come to a standstill after sunset. Today, roads, electricity and lights are there. The biggest thing is that a common man in the state can live without any fear.”
The BJP announcement promising free Covid-19 vaccination for all in Bihar as part of its election manifesto has taken several states by surprise. Especially, since until now the vaccine conversation between the Centre and the states was around identifying who should receive it on a priority basis.
So the announcement of a free vaccine as an election promise singling out one state adds a political twist to a subject — Covid management — that has so far been largely framed by cooperative rather than competitive federalism.
States are trying to figure out what the implications are. Many see this as the first indication that the Centre will procure the vaccine — or vaccines — at rates it negotiates and states may then be asked to purchase their own stocks.
Shafee Ahmad is nostalgic, reminiscing his days at Insan School in Kishanganj. Founded in 1966 by educationist and Padma Shri Syed Hassan, the school attracted students from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. “Syed Bhai chose Kishanganj because he wanted to bring the Muslim community out of educational backwardness,” says Ahmad, 50. More than half-a-century later, the institution is not even a shadow of its past. “Apart from fund crunch, there are administrative issues,” says Ahmad.
At 57.04%, illiteracy in Kishanganj still stands far below the national average of 77.7%. Meanwhile, even as it grew into a degree college, Insan School has lost accreditation of the Bihar School Examination Board and its students appear for board exams under different schools. The degree courses are offered under Maulana Mazharul Haque Arabic and Persian University, Patna.
In 2013, Kishanganj saw another ray of hope when, in the backdrop of the Sachar Committee report, the UPA government approved a study centre of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) in Kishanganj. The centre was the result of years of protests. Read More
For a state that has had a predominantly young electorate for at least the last two election cycles (31% in the 2015 Assembly, and 24.61% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections were under the age of 30), and where jobs have emerged as one of the major poll issues, higher education in Bihar remains neglected. According to the latest edition of the All India Higher Education Survey (AISHE), released in 2019, Bihar’s Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) stands at 13.6%, the lowest in the country.
AISHE is the only national survey on the status of higher education in the country, conducted by the Ministry of Education.
For every hundred youngsters in the age group of 18 to 23 years, only 13 are pursuing higher education in Bihar, as per the survey. This is much lower than the national average of 26.3%. Even neighbouring Jharkhand has a higher GER, of 19%. Read the full article here
Reacting to PM Modi's Bihar speech, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, "PM didn't mention LJP. He's trying to ride 2 horses at the same time and wants to rule Bihar on 1 of them. He's released an election manifesto pledging 19 lakh jobs; a clear indication that BJP wants their CM in Bihar & retire Nitish Kumar. This is BJP & RSS's plan."
Rahul Gandhi says, "Modi has govt has made 3 new Farm laws to attack farmers. They first ended Mandis and MSP in Bihar, now they're doing it in the entire nation. PM is going to make lakhs jobless. Wherever PM Modi goes, he only lies."
"Don't lie to Biharis, Modi Ji. Did you give jobs to Biharis? Last elections, PM promised 2 crores jobs, no one got them. In public, he says I bow my head to Army, farmers, labourers & traders. But once he reaches home, he only works for Ambani and Adani," says Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi.
Rahul Gandhi tells migrants of Bihar, "You walked 1000 kilometers, Modi didn't give you trains or buses. This is the truth. He let you walk with your stomach empty. This time, Modiji will get the answer. I am sure Bihar will teach Modi a lesson."
He also attacked the Prime Minister on Farm laws saying "because of farm laws, thousands of people will become unemployed."
PM Modi says, "The opposition parties have formed a 'pitara' against NDA, they call it 'Mahagathbandhan'. But each and every citizen of Bihar is aware of every bit of that Mahagathbandhan which allowed naxal movement in the past."
PM Modi says, 'Those who gave naxalism a free run in Bihar are arrayed against NDA. In the last few years, a lot of effort & strict actions have been taken to limit the activities of Naxals in the country. Naxal presence has now been restricted to limited areas."
Taking a dig at RJD, PM Modi also says, 'Bihar now has electricity, lantern has become redundant.'
PM Modi in Gaya says, 'There was a period when electricity used to be in the homes of only well-to-do families, and the homes of the poor were dependent on Diyas and Dhibri. The need for lanterns in today's Bihar is over. Today every poor household in Bihar has electricity connection.'
Rahul Gandhi says, "PM Modi lied when he said no Chinese soldiers came to Indian territory. Modi ji, you must tell the people of India when will you throw out Chinese from our soil."
RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi attend 'Badlav Sankalp' Bihar Elections joint rally at Hisua in Nawada district.
"PM Modi and CM Nitish Kumar even took away the jobs of those employed & forced all mills to close," says RJD Leader Tejashwi Yadav.
Rahul Gandhi is speaking in Nawada. Watch here: