Bihar polls: Modi attacks RJD, Cong, accuses them of protecting infiltrators, stalling progress
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed election rallies in Araria and Bhagalpur coinciding with the first phase of the assembly polls
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday attacked the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)-Congress combine, accusing them of protecting infiltrators and stalling the progress, as he compared the work done in Bihar until and after 2005. He asked people to vote to strengthen Bihar.
Modi, who accused RJD and Congress of having a soft corner for infiltrators, dislike for Lord Ram because of the vote bank, addressed election rallies in Araria and Bhagalpur, coinciding with the first phase of the assembly polls.
Modi called the RJD an epitome of jungle raj (lawlessness). He said the Congress’s dictionary does not have words such as swadeshi (indigenous) and atmanirbhar (self-reliance). “What enmity do they have with the poor who have been benefited from these measures?” he asked at his rally at Bhagalpur.
In an apparent reference to Rahul Gandhi, he claimed the Congress leader has been missing from the campaign, without naming him.
In Araria, Modi asked the people whether they would like to make a government of infiltrators? “It is not Modi, but your vote that will be able to drive away the infiltrators.”
He said whenever the RJD-Congress combine is in power, they try to give back-door entry to infiltrators. “They do so because of vote bank politics. But this takes a toll on the people of the country. The infiltrators claim a share in all that belongs to the citizens,” he said. Modi added that vote bank politics has filled the opposition leaders with contempt for traditions.
Modi said the reluctance of opposition leaders to visit Ayodhya and shrines dedicated to Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri, and Maharshi Valmiki indicated their “hatred” for Dalits and backward classes.
He said Bihar was the land of social justice until RJD’s “jungle raj”, which means cruelty, corruption, and misgovernance. “This became Bihar’s misfortune. Your parents’ dreams were shattered.”
Modi said the RJD government (1990-2005) had zero achievements. He said there were no expressways, no Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), and no bridge over the Kosi, no sports complex, no Indian Institute of Management (IIM), and no national law university.
He added that Bihar started developing after the Nitish Kumar-led government came into power in 2005, and it gained momentum since 2014. “Now we have IITs, IIIT, IIM, four central universities, bridges over the Kosi and Ganga, and seven expressways.”
He said the parties responsible for the “Jungle Raj” considered themselves the ultimate rulers of Bihar, whereas for him, the people are supreme.
Modi said the government is busy promoting Bihar’s heritage. “On the other hand, the Congress and RJD are insulting our faith.”
