Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Monday listed his government’s achievements of the last 15 years and compared them with the 15-year regime of the previous “ pati-patni ” (apparent reference to Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad and his wife Rabri Devi) government.
And RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav later challenged Mr. Kumar for a “logical debate any time, anywhere on facts and figures” and termed the virtual rally a “super-duper flop”.
Also read: Bihar polls, 65 bypolls to be held simultaneously
Mr. Kumar was addressing the JD(U)’s first mega digital virtual rally through its newly launched jdulive.com and other media platforms ahead of the Assembly polls, from the party headquarters in Patna.
Party sources told The Hindu that over 30 lakh people were connected with the live-streaming of Mr. Kumar’s address. In JD(U) offices in Patna and other districts of the State, leaders and party workers were glued to TV sets to hear their leader who formally sounded the poll bugle with the virtual rally.
Also read: Bihar Assembly elections | BJP, JD(U), LJP to fight polls together, says Nadda
Mr. Kumar set off his nearly three-hour address with the steps taken by his National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Today, the recovery rate in the State is 88.24%”, he noted. He, however, appealed to people that “even now we should be more vigilant and careful against the pandemic disease. Today, on an average 1.5 lakh tests are being done in the State with 11, 350 RT-PCR tests every day, which is going to be raised to 20,000 daily soon”.
Help for migrant workers
He listed the steps taken for the migrant workers who had come to the State due to the lockdown and facilities provided to them during the 14-days quarantine period here. “The government spent ₹5,300 on each quarantine person”, he claimed.
Mr. Kumar counted the welfare measures taken by his government on employment generation, for flood victims, education, health, law and order problem, road, agriculture, saat nischay (seven resolve) programme and other works done in social sectors with minute details sprinkled with figures, data and dates. He kept appealing to people “not to forget all this”.
Also read: In poll-bound Bihar, parties vie for more seats, explore new formations
“People must remember what had happened earlier [during the 15year RJD regime] and in the last 15 years [of the NDA rule led by him]”, he said at every turn of the page. “But some people keep on criticising us because they are ignorant... if such works have been done in other places, it must have got a lot publicity… a lot of work has been done in the State in last 15 years… how much I tell you”, he observed.
He announced the government’s work for fortification of graveyards, reopening of the Bhagalpur riot case and punishment to the accused persons, appointment of Madrasa and Urdu teachers and wakf board development projects. “I cannot compromise on crime, corruption and communalism”, he asserted, while citing data from the National Crime Records Bureau.
Later, Mr. Tejashwi Yadav challenged Mr. Kumar for a logical debate with him anytime, anywhere on the facts and figures cited in the Chief Minister’s address.
He said, “You cannot escape from the actual situation in the guise of your virtual rally… I challenge you for a logical debate with facts and figures anywhere, anytime on what you said in your virtual rally. Give us a list of only 100 people who have got ₹ 5,000 during their quarantine period… and kindly let us know who were the 10-lakh people getting job every day in the State… you said about the court’s observation on the previous RJD regime but conveniently forgot to mention the Supreme Court and the Patna High Court’s remarks about your government just 1.5 years back. “ Bihar mein berojgari hatana hai to Nitish Kumar ko bhagana hai [if unemployment has to be removed in Bihar, Nitish Kumar is to be replaced]”.
A senior RJD leader said, “Mr. Kumar only played old records of his speeches... it was all compiled to be aired in one go about his government’s achievements in the last 15 years comparing to 15 years of our RJD regime. But he shrewdly avoided mentioning where Bihar stands today in comparison to other States. People know who does what and for whom. Our government gave voice to the voiceless”.
