BPCC president Rajesh Ram addressing a press comference in Patna on June 14, 2026. Photo: Aftab Alam Siddiqui
By A Correspondent
Patna: Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee (BPCC) president Rajesh Ram on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the central government, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 12-year tenure has “pushed the country decades backwards” instead of delivering progress.
Addressing a press conference at the Sadaqat Ashram, Rajesh Ram said that while the BJP celebrates the period as one of achievement, “the reality is that ordinary citizens, students, youth, farmers and women are being forced to endure hardship.”
Highlighting unemployment as a key concern, Ram said the government had failed to fulfil its 2014 promise of creating two crore jobs annually. Citing CMIE data for 2022–23, he claimed that youth unemployment has reached 45.4 per cent, while earlier PLFS figures showed a 45-year high of 6.1 per cent.
Turning to agriculture, he said that the promise to double farmers’ income by 2022 remains unmet. Referring to NCRB data, he said 10,546 farmer suicides were recorded in 2024. He also criticised the government for failing to implement MSP based on the C2 formula.
Ram accused the government of fuelling inflation, pointing out that domestic LPG prices have risen from ₹410 in 2014 to over ₹1,100 in 2026, while petrol and diesel prices have crossed ₹100 per litre.
He further criticised demonetisation, claiming it caused widespread economic distress, led to the loss of 1.5 million jobs and reduced GDP growth by 2 per cent, despite 99.3 per cent of currency returning to the RBI.
Raising concerns over governance, Ram highlighted cuts in MGNREGA funding, rising incidents of paper leaks in competitive exams, and declining press freedom rankings. He also alleged misuse of central agencies and growing inequality favouring large corporate groups.
“The last 12 years will be remembered not as a period of growth, but as a time of decline across sectors,” he said.
Several party leaders were present at the press conference.
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