Ashok Gehlot criticise PM Modi over Bihar Dy CM's 'fake' degree

Patna, Oct 9 (IANS) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of shielding BJP leaders facing serious corruption allegations, including Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary, who has been accused of possessing a fake educational certificate.

Addressing a press conference at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna, Gehlot said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided that no matter how serious the corruption charges are against his party leaders and ministers, he will not seek their resignation.

“In Bihar, the Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is facing a direct charge of using a fake degree. We heard he obtained it from California Public University. I don’t know the truth about it, but if such an allegation exists, he should respond to it,” he said.

Gehlot further alleged that another minister in the Bihar cabinet was booked in a fake medicine case, yet no action was taken.

He also hit out at the poor state of healthcare in Bihar, saying, “A large number of women and children in Bihar are suffering from anaemia, and the healthcare system is collapsing. Around 60 per cent of posts in government hospitals are vacant, and there is an acute shortage of doctors. When I was Chief Minister of Rajasthan, we made MRI examinations free, provided health insurance of up to Rs 25 lakh, and introduced several welfare schemes in the health sector.”

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who was also present at the press conference, raised concerns over large-scale migration from Bihar.

“Migration is one of the biggest issues in Bihar. Many youths are leaving the state to earn a livelihood. This cannot be the future of Bihar. The future lies in industrialisation, agricultural development, urbanisation, and improvement in health and education,” he said.

Ramesh also cited the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report published in July 2025, which, he claimed, exposed a Rs 71,000-crore scam in ten departments of the Bihar government.

“This is not Congress data — it’s from the CAG report submitted in the Bihar Assembly,” he said, alleging that the so-called “double-engine government” was being run “remotely from New Delhi, not from Patna.”

During the press conference, former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel, Adhir Ranjan Choudhary, Rajesh Ram, Shakeel Ahmed Khan, Madan Mohan Jha and other leaders were present.

They have also launched a book, "20 Saal Vinaskaal," to target the Nitish Kumar government.

--IANS

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