NDA government in Bihar neglected women’s safety, health: Congress

The Congress on Tuesday (November 4, 2025) accused the BJP–JD(U) government in Bihar of showing “consistent neglect” towards women’s safety, health, and dignity over the last two decades, while posing a set of questions to both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Party president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the NDA government in Bihar over the security situation for women and asserted that the Mahagatbandhan (grand alliance)was fully committed to empowering and uplifting them.

Also Read: Bihar Assembly polls Highlights on November 4, 2025

Mr. Kharge said the Congress’ promises were not just to garner votes during elections or right before them, but rather, they were the same promises that the party would fulfil.

“The BJP-JDU government in Bihar has been in power for 20 years. If even today, Modi ji has to say that in Bihar ‘daughters-in-law and daughters are not safe’, then this is his own self-admission that in 20 years, they have not made Bihar safe!” Mr. Kharge said in a post in Hindi on X.

The Congress chief said the situation of women and children was extremely alarming and cited the National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data to say 70% of children were afflicted with anaemia and 40% were victims of malnutrition. Only 11% of infants received adequate nutrition as per the NHFS survey, he said.

Listing the promises made to women by the grand alliance, Mr. Kharge said they would be given an assistance of ₹2,500 per month if the Opposition alliance came to power. A monthly pension of ₹1,500-3,000 would be given to the elderly, widows, and disabled, he added.

Congress communication chief Jairam Ramesh, in a separate X post, said the Prime Minister “didn’t remember to check on Bihar’s women for an entire decade” and was now “staging a sham digital outreach for votes.”

He alleged that the NDA government had failed women on every front — from safety and health to economic security. Mr. Ramesh claimed that crimes against women had increased by 336% under the BJP–JD(U) regime, with around 20,222 incidents reported annually and 2.8 lakh women victimised so far. He said 1,17,947 cases remained pending in Bihar’s courts, resulting in a 98.2% pendency rate, “the highest in the country.”

“Despite record-breaking crimes against women, why has the BJP–JD(U) government failed to provide them security?” Mr. Ramesh asked.

Quoting the NFHS, the Congress leader said the health condition of women and adolescent girls was “alarming,” with over 63% of women and 65.7% of adolescent girls suffering from anaemia. “Despite such a massive health crisis for women, why has the government turned a blind eye?” Mr. Ramesh said.