PM's Bihar Visit: Opposition Sharpens Attack On NDA
Patna, Bihar: Ahead of Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Bihar, the opposition Mahagathbandhan has sharpened its attack against NDA. On Monday, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh raised four questions and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav has pointed fierce 15 questions to PM Modi criticising that BJP has made promises frequently, but failed to deliver it.
In a post on X, Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed concerns over Bihar’s long-pending demands such as airports for Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Purnea, incomplete essential projects in Bihar, neglect over Bhagalpur’s cultural heritage and tourist potential, and asked why hasn’t the State been granted Special Category Status as promised.
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“The PM promised an airport in Purnea on 18th August, 2015. Six years and three Nitish Kumar U-turns later, his government is yet to fulfil the promise,” Ramesh wrote on X. PM Modi has promised to open Patahi Airport in Muzaffarpur, while the BJP promised a fully operational airport by Diwali 2023. “What has the government been doing for 10 years?,” he asked.
The Prime Minister is in Bhagalpur, Bihar today. Four questions for him –
1. Where are the promised airports for Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, and Purnea?
The PM promised an airport in Purnea on 18th August, 2015. Six years and three Nitish Kumar U-turns later, his government is…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) February 24, 2025
The Congress leader also asked why essential projects remain incomplete in Bihar. “In 2015, the PM had famously promised a 1.25 lakh crore package to the people of Bihar. Rs 54,713 crore of this package were earmarked for road and bridge projects. A number of national highways, bridges over the rivers Ganga, Sone and Kosi, and 12 railway overbridges were to be built,” wrote on X. After giving such grand promises, why Prime Minister neglected the people of Bihar, he asks.
As a third question, Ramesh asked, what has Modi Government done to cultivate Bhagalpur’s cultural heritage and tourist potential.
“Bhagalpur is one of Bihar and India’s cultural hubs – famed for its textile productions, Manjusha paintings, and the birthplace of Lord Mahavira. All are victims of Government neglect. For instance, the Bhagalpur Regional Handloom Weavers Co-operative Union notes that between 2019 and 2024, the number of weavers fell from 2 lakh to 60,000. Business is down from Rs 600 crore per annum in 2015 to Rs 150 crore now. Workers are facing from rising input costs, even as business is flailing,” Ramesh said.
Why hasn’t Bihar been granted Special Category Status as the PM had promised, Congress leader pointed as fourth question.
“In 2014, when campaigning for his current position, Mr. Modi effectively promised special category status for Bihar. As per the Centre’s own Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Report, Bihar ranks as the poorest state in India, and 52% of the state’s population lacks access to requisite health, education, and living standards. In 2013, the Raghuram Rajan Committee recommended a new methodology for devolving funds that is based on a multi-dimensional index to account for a state’s economic backwardness. Eleven years later, what is the Modi Sarkar waiting for?,” he asked.
“Why has the PM forgotten the people of Bihar?,” Congress leader further asked.
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RJD Raises Allegations
Similarly, RJD leader and former deputy chief minister Tejashwi Yadav has also asked 15 questions presenting that the people of Bihar wanted to ask PM Modi. He alleged since the assembly elections in the state is due, Prime Minister “will be extremely concerned about Bihar and Biharis.”
In a post on X, Yadav claimed: “This year they will remember Ganga Maiyya, Chhathi Maiyya, Janaki Maiyya, Mata Sita, Brahma Baba, Mahadev, Surya Dev, Mahatma Buddha, Guru Govind Singh, Jananayak Karpoori Thakur, Litthi-Chokha, Thekua, Makhana, Mango, Litchi, Silk Industry, the so-called special package etc. They may even get emotional due to such memories.”
RJD leader underlined that Prime Minister has been ruling the Centre for 11 years and NDA government has held power in Bihar for 20 years yet it has not received any special packages and neither has any hope to receive it. “Biharis no longer want lies, rhetoric and propaganda,” he added.
प्रधानमंत्री श्री नरेन्द्र मोदी जी आज बिहार में है। प्रदेश में 𝟐𝟎 वर्षों से उनकी 𝐍𝐃𝐀 सरकार और केंद्र में 𝟏𝟏 वर्षों से है। बिहारवासी उनसे झूठ और जुमला नहीं बल्कि कुछ वाज़िब सवाल पूछना चाहते है।
𝟏. प्रधानमंत्री जी कहते थे कि 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟐 तक किसानों की आय दुगुनी करेंगे लेकिन… pic.twitter.com/voadCss4oq
— Tejashwi Yadav (@yadavtejashwi) February 24, 2025
Here are the 15 questions, Yadav wanted to ask PM Modi:
- Prime Minister used to say that by 2022 he will double the income of farmers but now 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 has come. Forget about doubling the income of farmers, their income has definitely decreased due to backbreaking inflation and unemployment. Who is responsible for this?
- The problems, challenges and crises of the farmers of Bihar are different from those of other states. There are more agricultural labourers and sharecroppers in Bihar. What special did the double engine government do for them?
- Why is the income of Bihar farmers the lowest in the country?
- Why is Bihar’s literacy rate the lowest in the country?
- Why is per capita investment the lowest in Bihar?
- Why was Bihar not given a textile park under the Centre’s PM Shri Mega Textile Park scheme?
- Why is Bihar leading in poverty and unemployment even after NDA 20 years of rule in the state?
- What happened to Bihar’s special state status and special package?
- The Prime Minister who promised to start Motihari’s sugar mill and drink tea made from its sugar, please tell us when will he drink tea made from Motihari’s sugar mill?
- Prime Minister ji please tell when will he restart the closed sugar mills of Madhubani, Saran, Gopalganj, Nawada, Muzaffarpur?
- Prime Minister ji, please tell us when will he start a jute mill in Katihar?
- Prime Minister, please tell us when will he start giving jobs to the unemployed in the railways and army?
- Prime Minister should explain why he is not including the 65 % reservation passed by the Mahagathbandhan government of Bihar in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution?
- Prime Minister should tell why he is not conducting caste census in the country?
- Most migration in the country takes place from Bihar. What did you do to stop migration from Bihar?
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Bihar Assembly Elections
Assembly polls in Bihar is expected to take place later this year. As the NDA hopes to retain in power, the Opposition extends confidence in ousting the ruling alliance. In the 2020 assembly polls, the BJP had won 74 seats, JDU 43, RJD 75 and Congress 19. The ruling NDA comprise BJP, JDU,LJP-RV and HAM, while the opposition Mahagathbandhan constitutes RJD, Congress, VIP and Left.
In his visit to the State on Monday afternoon, PM Modi released the 19th instalment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Bhagalpur district and inaugurated and dedicated various development projects to the nation. As per reports, he will also address a public rally at the Airport Ground, apart from interacting with farmers from several several districts.
