The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday, 31 October 2026 seized on the World Bank's India Poverty and Equity Brief to launch a sharp political attack on the INDIA Bloc, arguing that the report's findings have effectively 'mocked' the Opposition's recently held 'mock Parliament' event — a public impeachment exercise targeting Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over alleged irregularities in the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

What BJP Said at the Press Conference

Addressing reporters in New Delhi, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said the World Bank report validates the Narendra Modi-led government's record on poverty alleviation. He stated that the report reflects how the administration has achieved measurable success in lifting a significant portion of the population out of poverty.

'After failing in its intentions to create anarchy in India, the Congress Party organized a mock parliament — a fabricated drama — just to console their spoiled prince,' Trivedi said, in an indirect reference to Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.

He added: 'Right at the time of this drama, a powerful reality from the World Bank was presented before the nation. The figures of the World Bank have mocked the Mock Parliament.'

Key World Bank Findings Cited

Trivedi cited two sets of data from the World Bank's publications. First, from its 2025 report, he noted that between 2011 and 2023, India achieved rapid progress in eradicating multidimensional poverty — with the share of people living under extreme poverty falling from over 27 per cent to just 2.6 per cent.

Second, from the World Bank's October 2026 Poverty and Equity Brief for India, he highlighted that the share of the population living below the lower-middle-income poverty line of $4.20 per day (measured at 2021 purchasing power parity) dropped from 57.7 per cent in 2011 to 16.1 per cent in 2023.

Gini Index and Economic Equality Claims

Trivedi also referred to the Gini Index released by the World Bank in August 2025, under which India reportedly scored 22.5 — placing it, he claimed, among countries with the highest economic equality globally, at the fourth position. He said India had the lowest level of economic inequality among all G7 and G20 nations at that time, according to the index.

BJP's Attack on Congress's Poverty Record

Trivedi drew a pointed contrast between the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) era and the current government, citing remarks attributed to senior Congress figures. He recalled that Rahul Gandhi had stated in August 2013 that 'poverty is a mindset', and quoted former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as once saying 'money doesn't grow on trees.'

'By treating poverty as just a mindset, they kept a vast population of India trapped in extreme poverty,' Trivedi argued. He claimed that 27.6 per cent of people who were in poverty during the Congress-led regime are now out of it, according to the World Bank data.

Political Context

The BJP's press conference comes amid heightened political tensions between the ruling alliance and the INDIA Bloc, which organised the public impeachment event against the Chief Election Commissioner over what it described as alleged irregularities in the electoral rolls revision process. The BJP framed the timing of the World Bank data as an unambiguous rebuttal to the Opposition's narrative. Trivedi said that while the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is focused on poverty eradication under Prime Minister Modi's leadership, Congress, under Rahul Gandhi, is 'busy in spreading anarchy following their unsuccessful efforts in removing PM Modi from power.'

The Opposition is yet to formally respond to the BJP's characterisation of the World Bank findings.