Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday contrasted the NDA and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s development record to the prospect of yet another “Jungle Raj (lawlessness)” synonymous with the chief adversary Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s founder Lalu Prasad Yadav to emphasise the criticality of defeating the RJD-Congress-Left combine in the Bihar Assembly polls.
Addressing a campaign rally in Forbesgunj as the second phase of polling got underway in other parts of the State, the PM reminded people of the lawlessness, extortion and loot of public money that Bihar was identified with during Lalu Prasad Yadav’s long tenure as Chief Minister. He underlined the multiple development projects and restoration of the rule of law under Nitish Kumar’s leadership to urge people to vote for the NDA.
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Taking pot-shots at the RJD leader and Lalu’s son Tejaswi, who is leading the opposition campaign, as also the Congress President Rahul Gandhi, the PM said, “Bihar has decided to reject Jungle Raj and Double Yuvraj (reference to Rahul Gandhi and Tejaswi Yadav).”
He then underlined the various scams that unfolded under Lalu’s tenure and accused the RJD-Congress combine of looting public money.
“There is a saying in Bihar — Sab kuchch khaini, dugo bhuja na chabaini (you eat your full and then eye other people’s food). But Bihar has seen through these people. Voters here know who stands for the welfare of the people and who is working to further the welfare of their own family. Democracy and development are winning and family and arrogance are losing. Scams are losing and people’s rights are winning. Gundagardi (lawlessness) is losing and rule of law is again winning,” the PM said.
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The PM pitched himself as the son of the soil who prioritises the larger interests of the poor as compared to Lalu and his clan that are mired in scams.
“Bihar has progressed and you can see how it votes to elect this poor mother’ son could never have become Pradhan Sevak. Today, a poor mother’s son is thinking of the country’s development and aspirations and not thinking of his own family unlike some other people,” he said.
He said Nitish Kumar’s track record proves that he spent the last decade as Chief Minister to ensure that the people are provided with the basic necessities of law and order, peace, road connectivity, electricity and water. He underlined that Nitish Kumar alone can take Bihar to the next level of development. In the face of fissures in the ruling coalition erupting with a JD(U) MP’s viral audio recording urging his party to work against the alliance partner BJP, the PM focused on coherence and harmony in the alliance and pitched strongly for Nitish Kumar’s re-election as Chief Minister.
Basic amenities
“In the last decade, Nitish babu and his team made all efforts to provide basic amenities to people in extremely adverse circumstances. He fought the forces that had unleashed terror in Bihar. This new decade is to fulfil the aspirations of Bihar. In the last decade, every village got electricity, now is the time for every village to be illuminated. Last decade got every household cooking gas connection, the new decade is to get piped gas to every household. Last decade was to rebuild roads, the new decade is to build airport and new ports. Last decade was to finish Jungle Raj, the new decade is to give double-engine growth and development will acquire a new pace,” he said.
He drove home the contrast between development in Nitish Kumar’s tenure and scams, loot and lawlessness in Lalu’s tenure.
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Working towards development
“Without any discrimination, we are working towards the development of people. Over 75 lakh farmers are getting cash through Direct Benefit Transfer. About 2 lakh farmers in Araria received the money. About 90 lakh women got gas connection. In Araria, 3.5 lakh women got their gas connection. Without any discrimination, toilets have been built. We are ensuring people get healthcare up to ₹5 lakh through Ayushman Bharat. Bihar has understood those people who can only terrorise, loot and divide the people to capture power. This has been their thinking for the longest time, this is what they have learnt. They say in Bihar, when the money belongs to someone else, loot it as much as you like. That is what they did – they only looted people’s money,” the PM said.
He also attacked the Congress for misleading people for decades with false promises. He said the Congress has been reduced to a shadow of its former self with the combined strength of its MPs in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha being less than 100 because people have “seen through their lies”.
“The Congress told lies and sold dreams. Remember Garibi Hatao and waiving farmers’ loans, one rank one pension, they gave lollypops to the traders. But history stands testimony that they did nothing. They only misled people. Look at what state of the Congress, in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha even together they do not even have 100 MPs. This is what the people have reduced them to. From some States of the country like J&K, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, not even one MP of the Congress has reached the Lok Sabha. You can imagine how angry people are with the Congress. In UP and Bihar, the Congress has third and fourth place and hanging on to other parties’ coattails. This is because there is a difference between what they say and do. That is the difference between the NDA and the Congress. We do what is good and in the interests of the people,” the PM said.
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