Skip to main content

Civil society urges Bihar voters to unite against NDA in 2025 polls

By A Representative 
More than 70 prominent academics, writers, activists, lawyers, and former public servants from across India have come together under the banner of Sajag Nagarik Samaj (Vigilant Civil Society) to appeal to the people of Bihar to vote for the Mahagathbandhan — comprising the RJD, Congress, Left parties, and VIP — in the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections.
In a strongly worded appeal, the signatories said that the coming election “is not an ordinary one like previous polls” but “a battle to save the Constitution and democracy from being subverted.” They alleged that the ruling NDA alliance (BJP–JD(U)–LJP(R)–HAM–RLSP) has resorted to “every moral and immoral means” to influence the elections.
“On one hand, a special voter revision was conducted to manipulate the rolls, while on the other, government funds were used to distribute money to women voters. This is being seen as bribery to secure votes for the NDA,” the appeal said.
The civil society representatives accused the BJP of pursuing “an anti-Constitutional and anti-social agenda” since coming to power. The appeal stated, “The BJP has practically done away with equality and secularism from the constitutional framework and is attempting to bring a new Constitution based on Manuwad, which will push minorities, backward classes, Dalits, Adivasis and women to second-class citizenship.”
The statement further alleged that the government has “reduced the judiciary, Election Commission, and other constitutional institutions to subservience,” while “turning the media into its propaganda machinery.” It accused the Prime Minister of being “indifferent to unemployment, poverty, and inflation” and of turning India into a “fascist, communal and lawless state.”
Referring to the situation in Bihar, the signatories wrote that the JD(U)-BJP rule had left the state “the poorest, most uneducated, and most malnourished in the country.” They said, “Every government office is steeped in corruption, every department mired in scams. The state has turned into a supplier of unskilled labourers for the rest of India.”
The appeal urges voters to “unite to defeat the BJP and its allies to protect democracy, freedom and the constitutional values of justice, equality, and fraternity.” It also advises people not to vote for candidates with criminal backgrounds.
Among those who signed the appeal are Prof. D.M. Diwakar (former director, A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies), activist Shabnam Hashmi, former MP Ali Anwar Ansari, social thinker Harilal Yadav, educationist Dr. Meera Mishra, RTI activist Rakesh Rai, and journalist Madan Prasad Singh.
The signatories said their collective action reflects a growing anxiety among civil society members over the “erosion of constitutional morality and democratic institutions,” and called the Bihar election “a test case for saving the Republic.”

Comments

Post a Comment

NOTE: Hateful, abusive comments won't be published. -- Editor

TRENDING

Neville Cardus: The man who turned cricket writing into poetry

By Harsh Thakor*  Neville Cardus was one of the most remarkable literary figures of the twentieth century. A prolific English writer and critic, he achieved distinction in two vastly different fields: cricket and classical music. Entirely self-taught, Cardus rose from humble beginnings to become both the cricket correspondent and chief music critic of The Manchester Guardian . His achievements in these contrasting disciplines earned him widespread acclaim and established him as one of the foremost critics of his generation. In February 2025, the cricketing and literary world marked the fiftieth anniversary of his death, which occurred in February 1975.
Post a Comment
»

Garba on the tarmac and other lessons in tourist arrogance

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat    A video of a group of Indian tourists, reportedly from Gujarat, performing Garba on the airport tarmac in Vietnam has gone viral on social media. The group, consisting of men and women, was seen dancing in front of their aircraft, making considerable noise, ignoring instructions from airport staff, and disrupting the boarding process for other passengers. The incident triggered widespread criticism online. Many viewers expressed outrage and began recalling similar episodes in which Indian tourists have displayed a disregard for local norms, civic behaviour, and public etiquette while travelling abroad.
Post a Comment
»

​Ideological shifts and structural realities within India's left-wing insurgency

​By Harsh Thakor*  The Maoist insurgency in India is arguably at its weakest point since the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist) in 2004. Years of sustained counterinsurgency operations, leadership losses, shrinking territorial influence, declining recruitment, and growing technological advantages enjoyed by the state have significantly eroded the movement's operational capabilities. 
Post a Comment
»