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Hindustan Times
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mafia Raj of past kept Bihar poor, it is now set for high growth: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the Congress and the RJD had hurt the pride of Bihar and kept the state poor 'due to mafia raj, goonda raj and corruption' despite zealously announced slogan 'Garibi Hatao' being there for generations. But the state, he said, was now set for a development leap. The PM was speaking at Siwan after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating multiple development projects worth ₹11,000 crore, which include new Vaishali-Deoria railway line with a new train service on the route and another Vande Bharat Express between Pataliputra and Gorakhpur via Muzaffarpur and Bettiah. He also flagged off a state-of-the-art locomotive -- the first built at Marhowra plant for export to the Republic of Guinea. Modi said that the 'License Raj' of the Congress did not allow Bihar to move out of poverty and the worst sufferers were the deprived lot from Dalit, Mahadalit, Other Backward Classes and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs), while in the last 11 years a record 25 crore Indians had moved out of poverty and the feat has drawn praise from institutions like the World Bank. 'Bihar under chief minister Nitish Kumar played a key role in it, as 3.75-crore people from the state have pulled themselves out of poverty. Despite so many years of independence, half the population lived below the poverty line. People struggled to beat poverty, as they could not find a way to beat it. The state was reduced to be a centre of migration. Now, it is time to be wary of the same forces that kept it poor as they are again desperate for power while the state has prepared the launchpad for rapid growth,' he added. He said that the 'panja' and 'lantern' (Congress and RJD party symbols) worked with a simple motive of 'Parivar Ka Saath Aur Parivar Ka Vikas' (Support to family, growth to family), while the NDA works for 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' (Growth for all). 'Their interest never goes beyond family and they don't even spare Baba Saheb Bhim Rao Ambedkar,' he said, referring to the controversy surrounding Baba Saheb's picture purportedly kept near the feet of RJD chief Lalu Prasad on the latter's birthday. 'I have noticed posters seeking an apology for the insult of Baba Saheb. The entire country saw what RJD did to Baba Saheb, but they will not apologise. Ambedkar remains in the heart of Modi, while they keep it at their feet. They made false promises of 'Garibi Hatao' to people and filled their coffers, while our government has already built four crore houses for the poor and three crore more are being built. Modi is not the kind to get satisfied with work already done for the poor, as a lot more needs to be done to ensure that not a single person is left out, as you all are my family' he said. He warned that those who brought 'jungle raj' to Bihar were looking for an opportunity to repeat their old deeds. 'You have to be very cautious for the bright future of your children. People who are ready to put the brakes on Bihar's developmental journey have to be kept at bay, as a prosperous Bihar is important for a prosperous India,' he added. Remembering India's first President Dr Rajendra Prasad, Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narain and social reformer Braj Kishor Prasad, he said Siwan was the land that lent strength to democracy and Constitution and played a big role in the freedom movement. 'We are trying to take the same spirit forward with inclusive growth so that nobody is discriminated against and even the world recognises India's growth journey to be the third largest economy. I have faith in your abilities, as you are the ones who ended jungle Raj and then worked with the NDA to put the state on track,' he added. The PM said that Marhowra rail factory is an example of the kind of Bihar NDA striving to create. 'With the export of locomotives, Saran, which was abandoned by the RJD as backward, has made its place on the global map. Jungle Raj had stalled the growth engine, but now Bihar's engine will run in Africa. Bihar will be a big centre for make in India and contribute to the nation's growth,' he said, adding more projects and development initiatives would take Bihar towards a bright future and make life easy for all through increased opportunities. Highlighting the transformative journey of Bihar, the PM said in the last 10-11 years over 55,000 kms of rural roads had been built, 1.5-crore houses had got power connection and tap water, 45,000 common service centres had been started and now there was a wave of start-up in towns and cities. 'We are striving to remove every hurdle for the poor. The houses that people have got are not just four walls, but other places to nurture dreams and resolve. Bihar alone has got 57 lakh pucca houses, out of which 1.10-lakh are for Siwan alone. Over 50,000 families have got instalments for their houses today,' he added. He said that with the new train, now the two pilgrim places of Baba Hariharnarh and Baba Gorakhnath have been connected. 'Buddhist places have also got train connectivity. Such projects will boost tourism and create more opportunities,' he said, starting off his speech in Bhojpuri to connect with the masses. Bihar Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, union ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi, Giriraj Singh, Lalan Singh, Chirag Paswan, Ramnath Thakur, Nityanand Rai, Satishchandra Dubey, Raj Bhushan Choudhary,Deputy CMs Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha, state ministers, including Health minister Mangal Pandey, former union minister Upendra Kushwaha and several others were present on the occasion. Nitish Kumar thanked the PM for focussing on Bihar's rapid developments through a lot of new projects and programmes, cited special financial assistance in the union budgets and termed the Centre's decision to hold caste-based Census a big initiative. Referring to the Opposition's attack, he said that 'they keep speaking absurd things, while the changed reality is for all to see'. 'What was the situation prior to 2005? Today, the presence of so many women at the rally indicates the positive change that the state has witnessed. Earlier the girls did not even venture out of home,' he added. Fourth visit this year This is PM's fourth visit to Bihar this year and third since April 24 in what is viewed as a build up for the crucial state elections scheduled in October-November. He reached the venue in a road show, waving to the people from an open vehicle along with CM Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary. Siwan is significant, as it is the birthplace of India's first President Rajendra Prasad and remained an RJD stronghold due to sizable population of Muslims and Yadavs and emergence of late Bahubali Md Shahabuddin. Projects In keeping with the government's focus on conservation and rejuvenation of river Ganga, the PM also inaugurated six Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Namami Gange project worth over ₹1,800 crore catering to the needs of people in the region. He also laid the foundation stone for water supply, sanitation and STPs worth over ₹3,000 crore in various towns across Bihar aiming to provide clean and safe drinking water to the citizens of these towns. He also laid the foundation stone for 500 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) capacity in Bihar. Standalone BESS are being installed at 15 grid substations of the state, including Muzaffarpur, Motihari, Bettiah, Siwan among others. The capacity of the battery to be installed in each sub-station is between 20 to 80 MWh. It will save the distribution companies from buying electricity at expensive rates by feeding the already stored electricity back to the grid directly benefiting the consumers. The Prime Minister also released the first instalment to more than 53,600 beneficiaries of PMAY-U in Bihar. He handed over keys to a few beneficiaries to mark the Grih Pravesh Ceremony of more than 6,600 completed houses of PMAY U.
India Gazette
16 hours ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Double-engine govt in Bihar has all but given up on proposed 65 per cent reservation": Congress' Jairam Ramesh
New Delhi [India], June 20 (ANI): Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh on Friday alleged that the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in the state has almost 'given up' on the proposed 65 per cent reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, Other Backward Classes (OBCs), and Extremely Backward Classes (EBCs). Ramesh, who is the Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications in a post on X, said he proposed three ways out that will make the 65 Per cent reservations in government jobs and educational institutions a reality. 'The PM is in Bihar today. On the basis of the caste survey conducted by the erstwhile INDIA bloc Government in Bihar, the Bihar Government had proposed 65% reservation for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs. This is under challenge in the Courts. The double-engine Govt in Bihar has all but given up,' he said on X. The Rajya Sabha MP in his first step asked to make the Bihar reservations law a part of the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution and amend the Constitution to overcome the 50 per cent ceiling for reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs. 'But there are three ways out that the INC has been demanding for long that will make the 65% reservations a reality. 1. Make the Bihar reservations law a part of the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. This was done by the Narasimha Rao government in 1994 for protecting 69% reservations in Tamil Nadu. 2. Amend the Constitution to overcome the 50% ceiling for reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs. This ceiling has only been imposed because of various Supreme Court judgements over the past six decades,' the Congress Rajya Sabha MP said. He further proposed to implement Article 15(5), which enables reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs in private educational institutions also. 'Article 15(5) enables reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, OBCs, and EBCs in PRIVATE educational institutions also. This has been unimplemented in the past 11 years after the Supreme Court upheld the Constitutional amendment that was introduced by Dr Mannohan Singh's government in 2006. Most definitely the INC will take up these three issues of fundamental importance to social justice and empowerment in the Monsoon session of Parliament that begins on July 21, 2025,' he added. This comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Bihar, where he will lay the foundation stone and inaugurate multiple development projects at Siwan. Assembly polls in the state are due in October this year. After the government decided to include caste enumeration in the upcoming decadal census, Congress has ramped up its demand for the immediate implementation of the legislation, alongside Article 15(5) to extend reservation to OBCs, Dalits, and Adivasis in private educational institutions. (ANI)
Indian Express
3 days ago
- General
- Indian Express
West Bengal govt begins UG admissions for state colleges: Here is what you need to know
The undergraduate admissions process began on the West Bengal government's online portal on Wednesday morning, for over nine lakh seats across 7,229 courses in 460 state and state-aided colleges. The first phase of the application process for the colleges, which are under 17 universities, will remain open until July 1. The merit list and initial seat allotment will be published on July 6, and candidates must confirm their admission by July 12. An upgrade round will follow, with revised allotments on July 17 and admissions closing on July 20. Physical verification of documents is scheduled from July 24 to 31. Classes for the 2025-26 academic session are set to begin on August 1. No application fee is required this year, and students from across the country are eligible to apply. Speaking at the portal's launch on Tuesday, state Education Minister Bratya Basu said, 'Last year, more than 4.4 lakh students were admitted through the portal. The system ensures a transparent, systematic, and user-friendly admission process. Students can choose their preferred courses and colleges on a single platform.' This year, the portal introduces 'Bina'—an AI-powered chatbot named after the instrument of goddess Saraswati—to assist applicants with basic queries. Additional support is available via a helpline (1800-102-8014) and the email address support@ To confirm admission, students must pay the course fee online. In the upgrade round, if allotted a higher-preference course with a different fee structure, only the difference must be paid. In cases where the new course has a lower fee, the excess amount will be refunded automatically. Basu urged applicants to use their own mobile numbers and email IDs for communication and to enter bank details carefully to avoid refund issues. Addressing the ongoing legal developments, he said the Calcutta High Court's interim order related to the OBC list would not affect the UG admission process. 'Should agricultural work stop because of predictions of drought or heavy rain? We will continue our work. If there is any instruction, we will take emergency measures,' he said. A senior official from the Higher Education Department also confirmed that the court order would not disrupt the admission process. 'We will study the court's order in detail, but the undergraduate admission process will go on,' the official said. Manas Kabi, principal of Asutosh College, told The Indian Express, 'The online centralised admission process began at 10 am today and is proceeding smoothly. Students are applying in large numbers.' On Tuesday, the Calcutta High Court ordered an interim stay on the preparation of a new list of Other Backward Classes (OBC) by including new castes in West Bengal's existing list. The division bench of Justices Rajasekhar Mantha and Tapabrata Chakraborty issued the stay till the next hearing, scheduled for July 31. The court also stayed the state government's decision to open a portal for submission of caste certificates for inclusion in the proposed new OBC list.
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Calcutta HC grants interim stay on WB Govt's OBC list notification till July 31
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 18 (ANI): The Calcutta High Court on Monday gave an interim stay on the West Bengal government's recently issued notifications on the OBC list till July 31. This order is a big setback for the Mamata government. A division bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Raja Sekhar Mantha passed the interim order while hearing petitions challenging the state's classification of communities under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Judges said that necessary steps should be taken regarding the 66 communities belonging to the OBC category. In this latest OBC notification there are listed 140 communities. However, OBC certificates issued before 2010 under the 1993 law remain valid for employment and admissions. The bench warned that the executive cannot bypass legislative procedures, stating that half the process was followed and the rest done unilaterally. Petitioners claimed the survey was flawed, with limited samples and negligible changes from the earlier list. The state admitted that college admissions and recruitment are stalled due to the case. During the hearing, Solicitor General Ashok Chakraborty, representing the Centre, pointed out that the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) had sought clarification from the state on how Muslim and OBC classifications were identified. The NCBC minutes mentioned that several communities had converted from Hinduism to Islam, complicating census data. Justice Rajasekhar Mantha raised the question to state, saying, 'You have done half the work according to the 2012 OBC Act. Then you have gone back to the 1993 Act. Why is this? Why didn't you amend the 2012 Act? You have been providing benefits for the last 15 years. The law says that a survey has to be done after 10 years. That survey has not been done.' (ANI)
India Gazette
3 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Calcutta HC decision on OBC list another blow to Mamata Banerjee's
New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): BJP leader Amit Malviya on Tuesday hailed the Calcutta High Court's decision that granted interim stay on the West Bengal Government's OBC list notification and said it is another blow to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's 'politics of appeasement'. The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday gave an interim stay on the West Bengal government's recently issued notifications on the OBC list till July 31. A division bench comprising Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Rajasekhar Mantha passed the interim order while hearing petitions challenging the state's classification of communities under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. Malviya, who is in-charge of BJP's National Information & Technology Dept and BJP's co-incharge of West Bengal, attacked the ruling Trinamool Congress government and said it made a desperate attempt to appease a vote bank and 'is a telling commentary on how far the TMC will go to cling to power'. He alleged that West Bengal Government's recent notifications attempted to reintroduce OBC reservations for several Muslim groups 'Another blow to Mamata Banerjee's politics of appeasement! The Calcutta High Court has stayed the West Bengal Government's recent notifications that attempted to reintroduce OBC reservations for several Muslim groups -- the very same classifications that were earlier struck down by the Court,' he said on a post on X. 'The Court's intervention came in response to writ petitions challenging this blatant overreach. The TMC government, in its brazen hurry, tried to sidestep the High Court's earlier judgment by conducting a dubious 'survey' and bypassing established legal procedure. This desperate attempt to appease a vote bank -- in violation of due process and constitutional norms -- is a telling commentary on how far the TMC will go to cling to power. But the judiciary has once again stood as a bulwark against such unlawful appeasement,' he added. Malviya also referred to his tweet made earlier this month in which he had accused the TMC government of appeasement politics. 'OBC = Other Backward Classes, but in West Bengal under Mamata Banerjee, it has become nothing more than a brazen attempt to appease Muslims, in gross violation of constitutional provisions. Mamata claimed in the Assembly: 'OBC list not based on religion. FACT CHECK: Her own government's data proves otherwise. Before 2010: OBC Classes - 66 Muslim - 11 | Non-Muslim - 55 Muslim Share - 20%. New Additions (2025): Part 1: 51 new classes - 46 Muslim (90%) Part 2: 25 new classes - 21 Muslim (84%). If this isn't religion-based appeasement, what is?' he said in a post on X. 'On June 3, 2025, WB government increased OBC reservation in State Services to 17% (from 7%) -- clearly to benefit these newly included Muslim groups. But here's the catch: On Dec 9, 2024, Hon'ble Supreme Court said -- Reservation can't be based on religion. Earlier, Calcutta HC had struck down this exact list for doing just that. The new list is nothing but a blatant contempt of court and an insult to the principles of social justice,' he added. Assembly polls will be held in West Bengal next year. (ANI)
