PM Modi launched the NDA’s Bihar campaign, criticising the Opposition and predicting victory
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the National Democratic Alliance’s (NDA) poll campaign in Bihar with back-to-back rallies in Samastipur and Begusarai districts, likening the Opposition to a coalition of thugs led by “people out on bail” and predicting a record-breaking victory for the ruling dispensation.
In Samastipur’s Karpoorigram, the ancestral home of Bharat Ratna socialist icon Karpoori Thakur, Modi alleged the Rashtriya Janata Dal and Congress had “wasted a lot of Bihar’s money and precious time”, drew a contrast between a “fractious” INDIA bloc and the “cohesive” NDA, and made an outreach to young voters.
“It was in October 2005 that your parents had brought Jungle Raj to an end. Exactly 20 years later, you have a big responsibility on your shoulders, to facilitate prosperity (samriddhi) by voting in favour of good governance (sushasan),” he said. Jungle Raj is often the term used by political opponents to describe the 15 years of RJD rule between 1990 and 2005, to describe the law and order situation.
“The candidates fielded by ‘lathbandhan’ [word play on gathbandhan] clearly indicate their desire to bring back the old days. Listen to their campaigning and you’ll be reminded of Jungle Raj,” he said.
Modi underscored that the NDA was fighting the assembly polls “under the leadership of Nitish Kumar”, in an apparent rebuttal of the Opposition charge that after the elections, the BJP was planning to replace the 75-year-old JD(U) president, who is seeking a fifth consecutive term in office.
“Nitish Kumar worked day and night to change that and pull Bihar out of the dark age . A new era of development commenced. Now is the time for Bihar to gather speed for self-reliance and prosperity and ensure social justice in the true sense,” he added.
Modi blamed the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for stalling development in Bihar.
“People freed Bihar from Jungle Raj in 2005 by voting for the NDA government under Nitish Kumar’s leadership. But for 10 years the Congress-RJD alliance was in power at the Centre and it only created obstacles in Nitish Kumar’s path. The RJD was revengeful to Bihar for voting for NDA. They also used to threaten the Congress that their support would be withdrawn if the Centre backed Nitish government in any way,” he said.
Cautioning people that “development and Jungle Raj of the RJD cannot coexist, the PM said that the first requirement for progress was the rule of law, which Nitish Kumar established.
“People have to be wary and send them packing again. Look at the way they are campaigning, threatening people and using Katta (country made pistol), chharra (pellets), dunali (double barrel guns) in campaign songs. If they get an opportunity, they will do the same again, reviving Jungle Raj. They cannot change. The kind of people they have fielded also gives ample indication of their intent and people must be extremely cautious,” he said, referring to some of the campaign songs by the Opposition.
In Begusarai, Modi blamed the RJD for destroying the once flourishing industrial corridor in the region. “You have reposed your trust in Modi and blessed Nitish to see the positive change. Modi has lived in poverty as he was not born with a silver spoon in mouth. Our priority is to eradicate poverty and not confine it to just speeches,” he added.
Modi said that under RJD rule, extortion, murder, ransom, and kidnapping flourished, while land was taken in lieu of jobs. “Who will believe them when they talk big? The RJD’s Jungle Raj ruined generations of Bihar, with mothers and sisters, youth, Dalits, extremely backward classes and the marginalised being the worst sufferers,” he added.
Modi also referred to former Congress chief, the late Sita Ram Kesri. “One member of Congress insulted him, locked him in the bathroom and threw him out. He was removed from the president’s post. That is how they treat Dalits and backward classes. They cannot live beyond their own family and have no concern for your family,” he said.
“Those who ushered in Jungle Raj in Bihar are talking big on camera, but behind it they are fighting amongst one another. RJD has not won any election in the last two decades, but look at its arrogance. They shrugged off JMM, toppled Congress which has been riding piggyback on the RJD for 35 years, kept the Left hanging, and waylaid the VIP. But this is what happens when all start working for their vested interest,” he added.
Maintaining that Bihar had already got three times more funds than what it got during the Congress regime, Modi said that during RJD rule, the doors of police stations were closed to Dalits and extremely backward classes, and Maoist activities made life difficult. “When you gave the NDA an opportunity at the Centre in 2014, I resolved to liberate Bihar and the country from this Maoist terror and their backbone has been broken. It will be a thing of the past in India as well as Bihar soon,” he added.
Modi asked the people to switch on their mobile lights and said that there was no space left for the lantern – the RJD poll symbol – as electricity had reached all corners of the state. “The state will keep those who unleashed Jungle Raj in Bihar at bay,” he said, in his nearly 50-minute speech in Samastipur.
He said that the Congress and the RJD were only interested in protecting family legacies and there was also an attempt to steal the ‘Jananayak’ (people’s hero) tag of Thakur – referring to the tag that many Congress supporters use for Rahul Gandhi.
“The RJD’s first family is the most corrupt family in the state and the Congress first family is the most corrupt in the country. Most of them are out on bail and the people of Bihar cannot trust them, as Bihar’s development gathers speed, which will create more jobs and employment opportunities in the coming years,” he added.
He said that Thakur was an inspiration for the NDA, which was trying to fulfil the socialist icon’s vision. As the first PM to visit Karpoorigram, Modi also paid tributes to Thakur and interacted with his family members.
Nitish Kumar thanked Modi for focussing on Bihar’s development. “The previous government had nothing and we started Bihar’s development by first restoring rule of law,” he added.
