RJD Launches Scathing Attack on Nitish Kumar's Prosperity Tour in Patna
The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) sharply criticized Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's Samriddhi Yatra on Friday. Party spokesperson Chittranjan Gagan held a press conference at the RJD office in Patna. He questioned the very purpose of the chief minister's latest tour across Bihar.
"Which Bihar's Prosperity?" Asks RJD Spokesperson
Chittranjan Gagan posed a direct challenge to the tour's premise. "Which Bihar's prosperity is the CM going out to see?" he asked reporters. He argued that true prosperity means completeness and affluence with happiness in every field. According to the RJD leader, these essential elements are glaringly absent in the state today.
Gagan presented a stark picture of Bihar's current situation. He claimed that thirty-four percent of families in the state still live below the poverty line. The spokesperson alleged that Bihar continues to perform poorly across multiple critical development parameters.
A Litany of Concerning Statistics
The RJD spokesperson listed several alarming figures to support his criticism:
- Bihar ranks at the lowest level in NITI Aayog's comprehensive development indicators.
- The state is the third poorest in the entire country.
- In the health sector, Bihar holds the 18th position among 19 major states.
- The literacy rate stands at only 61.3 percent.
- Bihar's contribution to the national GDP is minimal at just 4.3 percent.
- The state's share in the country's industrial output is a mere 1.39 percent.
- Bihar lags far behind the national average in maternal mortality and infant mortality rates.
- School dropout rates remain a persistent and serious problem.
Further Criticism on Healthcare and Education Infrastructure
Gagan intensified his attack by highlighting severe staff shortages. He stated that sixty percent of doctor posts and forty percent of nursing staff positions remain vacant in state hospitals. The education sector faces a similar crisis.
More than half of the teacher posts in universities and colleges are unfilled. From primary to higher secondary schools, over three lakh teacher positions are currently vacant. Thousands of schools still operate without proper buildings.
The spokesperson also pointed to massive outward migration. He said more than three crore people have left Bihar to search for livelihood in other states. Given these conditions, Gagan called the Samriddhi Yatra a "mockery of the word 'prosperity'." He urged that such a tour should not insult the people of Bihar.
JD(U) Strikes Back, Defends the Chief Minister
JD(U) state spokesperson Anjum Ara firmly rejected all allegations from the RJD. She accused the opposition party of deliberately misleading the public. Ara defended Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's yatras as essential public engagement exercises.
"He interacts with common people during his tours to understand the ground reality," she explained. Ara emphasized that the chief minister has made several significant decisions only after consulting ordinary citizens. She pointed to the recent assembly election mandate as proof of public faith in Nitish Kumar's development work.
Call for Constructive Opposition
Anjum Ara advised the RJD to focus on introspection instead of leveling accusations. "Instead of just criticizing the government, the RJD should try to carry out the duty of a responsible opposition," she stated. The JD(U) spokesperson urged the RJD to appreciate the work being done and offer constructive suggestions for the state's betterment.
The political exchange in Patna underscores the deepening rivalry between the two major parties in Bihar. It highlights the ongoing debate over the state's development trajectory and the effectiveness of the current government's public outreach initiatives.
