Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday slammed leaders of opposition Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Congress — Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi — without, as before, naming them, as he addressed four rallies across the Bihar ahead of the second phase of voting on November 3.
Terming them as “double-double yuvraj (crown princes)” who were contesting the Bihar poll to save their thrones, Mr Modi said, “Today in Bihar there is a double engine government while, on the other side, there are double-double crown princes.”
“Here there is a yuvraj (crown prince) of jungle raj (lawlessness)…and an another yuvraj (referring to Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi) too has come to wave at the people of Bihar… earlier this double-double yuvraj were also in elections in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh… But what happened in U.P. to these double-double yuvraj will happen to them in Bihar as well,” Mr. Modi said at Chhapra while addressing the first of his four public meetings.
Mr. Modi also invoked significant deities in Bihar — Chhath (sun god) and Ganga — to seek votes for the NDA.
Lies on Art. 370, CAA
Mr. Modi said some people have been spreading misinformation over construction of the Ram temple, scrapping of Article 370 and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.
The Prime Minister addressed public meetings at Chhapra, Samastipur, Motihari (East Champaran) and Bagaha (West Champaran).
At Bagaha in West Champaran,also Mr. Modi raised issues of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, scrapping of Article 370 in J&K and the CAA. “Today with blessings and help of everyone in the country, construction of a glorious Ram temple is going on Ayodhya but even at this time you all should not forget those people who had questioned even the existence of Lord Ram and putting stumbling block in its construction,” Mr Modi said.
Criticising the Opposition, Mr Modi said, “They spread misinformation by telling lies to people and get their work done by frightening them…when CAA came into effect they spread lies that citizenship of several people will be scrapped… One year is going to be over now, has any Indian’s citizenship gone,” Mr Modi asked at his last public meeting in Bagaha.
“When Article 370 was scrapped in J&K then some negative people said Kashmir will burn, blood will flow in Kashmir and what not…but, what happened? Today Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh are making progress on development path peacefully,” he added.
At Chhapra, Mr Modi again raised the issue of the Pulwama terror attack and said those people “who were not happy with the martyrdom of the brave soldiers in Pulwama, have come to Bihar to seek your vote”.
“Keep those people away for safe fate of Bihar,” he added.
Invoking locally significant deities, Mr. Modi said, “Till Chhath and Diwali no poor people will go hungry…you meri maa (my mother) prepare for Chhath puja as your son is there in Delhi. Chhath is an important four-day religious festival in Bihar which is scheduled in the third week of November.
“Even during COVID-19 pandemic the NDA government ensured that no one should go hungry…we had opened food grain store- houses to ensure food at every household of poor people for the last eight months,” he said and added, “ we will ensure it to be opened till Chhath puja”.
“River Ganga was flowing even before we came to power but we made its water clean and pure in which mothers can observe Chhath puja… Don’t you think business can be done by plying ships in river Ganga? We’ve started this project and work is going on,” he said.
While making indirect reference to the previous RJD government in the State, Mr. Modi said, “Earlier mothers used to warn their children not to go out as they were worried over thembeing kidnapped for ransom... Do you want a return of the same government in the State?
“Some people in the State have started abusing me…abusing Narendra Modi…let them say what they want to say against me but I say to them don’t pour your anger against people of Bihar,” Mr. Modi said.
He also listed several welfare steps taken by “double-engine NDA government” in the State and the country and said, “the NDA government meets all adversities with responsibility”.
The Prime Minister also reiterated that under the new education policy, the “language of education will be in mother tongue and there will also be one entrance exams for jobs” for benefit of students from poor families.
“The NDA government works without any discrimination and it works for everyone,” Mr Modi said, adding, “If Bihar has to be saved from bimari (diseases), don’t vote for them”.
He appealed to people to vote for “Nitish Kumar-led NDA with a huge mandate for an all round development in the State and country as well”.
In all his four public meetings Mr Modi also reiterated that NDA means BJP, JD(U), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Vikasheel Insaan Party.
