U.P. Congress accuses BJP government of wasting funds on PM's birthday

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Ajay Rai on Friday accused the BJP-led state government of squandering public money on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's birthday celebrations, saying the festivities were held even as flood-affected villages remained cut off and economic distress continued across the country.

Addressing the media in Lucknow, Mr. Rai said lamps were lit across the country as part of the celebrations and alleged that government funds were diverted for the purpose. He contrasted the scale of the events with the situation in hundreds of villages in Uttar Pradesh and other states that he said had been severed by severe floods, leaving residents without food, water or medicines.

Mr. Rai also raised the cost of the illuminations, claiming that crores of lamps were lit and that each lamp would have involved an outlay of at least ₹5. He cited videos circulating online in which children were seen collecting leftover oil from the lamps, including one clip of a girl who said she would use the oil to cook dinner. He said the Prime Minister should feel ashamed that some households lacked cooking oil while large sums were spent on the birthday.

Separately, the Congress leader alleged that 500 motorcycles were distributed in Varanasi under an arrangement requiring the riders to pay ₹700 a day. He did not elaborate on the scheme.

Mr. Rai further held the BJP responsible for the state of the economy, saying the government was not providing employment or jobs. While official claims point to GDP growth, he said the ground reality was a lack of work in the country and in Uttar Pradesh.