Bihar developing in reverse gear: Rahul Gandhi

Saharsa, Sep 5 (ANI): Launching his party's campaign for the November State Assembly polls in Bihar, Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has slammed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar over his claim of ushering development in Bihar.

"If development has at all taken place in Bihar, then why are people migrating to Mumbai, Haryana, Punjab and Delhi for livelihood?" asked Gandhi during a public meeting in Saharsa.

"Wherever I visit, be it Mumbai, Punjab or Haryana, I am informed about the plight of people from Bihar who have migrated to those states for jobs," he added.

He further claimed that the Centre has provided more financial assistance to Uttar Pradesh and Bihar than to other states, and it was unfortunate to hear that these funds reach Patna and Lucknow, but not the poor in rural areas.Refuting Kumar's charge of the Centre giving step-motherly treatment to Bihar, Gandhi said the UPA government had provided funds to the tune of about Rs 19,000 crore for rural development as against just Rs 3,000 crore given by the previous NDA Government.

"Funds reach here, but not down to the villages due to corruption. The problem that is in Uttar Pradesh's the same here. Funds are sent from New Delhi, and there is no lack of funds these days. Millions are sent. It reaches Patna, Lucknow and disappears from there," he added.

Gandhi also accused Kumar of maintaining a double face on his relationship with the BJP and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi.

He also slammed the anti-north Indian remarks of Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray and also charged him with running a hate campaign in Maharashtra. (ANI)