RJD stalled Bihar’s development: Modi at rally

Referring to the infamous land-for-job scam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) in Bihar, accusing it of taking land from the poor in exchange for jobs, stalling development and depriving the state of its rightful share of resources.

During his visit, the Prime Minister dedicated development projects worth over Rs 7,200 crore to the state and flagged off four new Amrit Bharat Express trains. The visit comes ahead of the Assembly elections likely to be held in November.

Emphasising Bihar’s role in India’s growth, Modi said, “To advance eastern India, Bihar must be transformed into a developed state.”

He compared fund allocations across administrations to highlight what he called past neglect. “In 10 years of previous governments, Bihar received only around Rs 2 lakh crore from the Centre. Under our government, that figure has risen to nearly Rs 9 lakh crore in the last 10 years,” he said.

Modi accused earlier regimes of practising “politics of vendetta” and using fund allocation as a political weapon against the state.

Recalling Bihar’s condition two decades ago, the Prime Minister said development was at a standstill and poverty rampant. “It was unimaginable then that funds meant for the poor would actually reach them. Today, over 4 crore houses have been built under the PM Awas Yojana, including nearly 60 lakh in Bihar,” he said.

He placed special emphasis on women’s empowerment, highlighting how schemes like Jan Dhan Yojana have given 3.5 crore women in Bihar access to financial inclusion. He credited Nitish Kumar’s government for raising pension amounts and pointed to the emergence of ‘Lakhpati Didis’ — women earning over Rs 1 lakh annually — as a sign of grassroots empowerment.

On employment, Modi acknowledged the Bihar Government’s recent appointments of lakhs of youth to government jobs. He also announced a Rs 15,000 incentive for first-time private-sector employees under a larger Rs 1 lakh crore central initiative to boost employment.

Contrasting this with past regimes, he accused them of hoarding power and wealth within political families while ignoring backward and tribal communities. “Their arrogance is evident. They denied rights and respect to anyone outside their circle,” he said.

Reaffirming his government’s stance on tackling extremism, Modi cited a decline in Naxal violence in districts such as Champaran, Aurangabad, Gaya and Jamui.