Stepping up his attack on the Bihar government, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday questioned the claims of development by the ruling Janata Dal-United saying if it had indeed taken place why were people migrating from the state in search of jobs.
"If Bihar is at all shining, then why are people migrating to Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana and New Delhi? Why are people from Mumbai not coming to Bihar?" Gandhi told election rallies at Bachwara and Jamalpur in Munger district.
"Bihar and India can't shine unless poverty is thoroughly eradicated and there is employment, drinking water, better health, electricity and education facilities for all," he said.
"Have you received jobs?" Gandhi asked alleging that the state had failed to achieve the desired targets under Mahatama Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and other central schemes while there were "irregularities" in their implementation.
Gandhi also questioned the secular credentials of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and claimed that he did not do much following the riots in Gujarat when he was a minister in the erstwhile National Democratic Alliance government.
The Amethi MP alleged that both Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal president Lalu Prasad were equally responsible for the state of affairs in Bihar during the past 20 years.
"Now the time has come to free the state from the politics of caste and religion pursued by Lalu Prasad and Nitish and ensure all-round growth of Bihar," he said.
India would further develop if Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were brought to the category of most developed states, he said.
Rahul, addressing a meeting in Bhagalpur district to seek votes for former BPCC chief Sadanand Singh, showered praise on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
Stating that the United Progressive Alliance government had doubled assistance to Rs 1 lakh crore to Bihar compared to the amount provided by the erstwhile NDA government, he said "the UPA government has implemented schemes like MNREGA guaranteeing jobs for 100 days in a year for the poor and labourers."
It has also taken steps for providing midday meals and introduced the Right to Education Act in the past six years, he said while debunking Nitish Kumar's claims on development as an eyewash.
"While people from Bihar are shining in Punjab, Maharashtra and Delhi, those living in the state are facing hardships," he said. "If the central schemes like MNREGA are properly implemented in Bihar, the people will start shining in the state itself," the Congress general secretary said.
