On campaign for the fourth phase of polling in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted an attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Secular Alliance, saying “leaders have crossed all decency while givi
On campaign for the fourth phase of polling in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mounted an attack on the Nitish Kumar-led Grand Secular Alliance, saying “leaders have crossed all decency while giving statements against me”. Mr Modi, addressing rallies in Gopalganj and Muzaffarpur on Friday, accused Mr Kumar of using the word “bahri (outsider)” for him only to gain in the ongoing Assembly election.
“Nitish Babu says I am a bahri (outsider). I ask him how I can be a bahri in Bihar, which is an integral part of India, and even people of Bihar had voted to make me Prime Minister. Am I a Prime Minister of Pakistan or Bangladeshi I want to ask him what he thinks of Sonia Gandhi who lives in Delhi. Is she a Bihari or bahri ”
Urging people to vote for the NDA “for a better future”, he said, “Your love for me is prompting them to make indecent statements against me, but I am not hurt or concerned when I have your support,” adding, “Nitish Babu, call me whatever you want, but don’t hurt the sentiments of Biharis.”
Prime Minister Modi, who greeted people in their local Bhojpuri dialect before he began his speech, attacked RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav on his home turf, Gopalganj, accusing him of “ignoring the development of the area and allowing the kidnapping industry to flourish, which forced people to migrate from Gopalganj in search of livelihoods.” He added, “When I visited Abu Dhabi I met several people working as labourers who belonged to this district.”
Attacking Mr Kumar and Mr Lalu Yadav and terming them “Bade Bhai and Chhote Bhai”, he said they were only capable of helping themselves and their family members. “Development is the only solution left for Bihar and its people and, like the way you supported me during the Lok Sabha polls, I need your faith and trust this time as well to finish bhai-bhatijawad (nepotism) and corruption,” the PM said in Gopalganj.
Not leaving any stone unturned in attacking his political opponents, he raked up the issue of corruption. Reminding people of the multi-crore fodder scam in which Mr Lalu Yadav is a convict, and the 2G and coal scams that surfaced during the UPA government’s tenure, he asked them to “punish those who were involved”.
Reiterating his tantra-mantra jibe against Mr Kumar, Mr Modi said, “It’s up to you what you choose, the tantra-mantra or loktantra. We have come to you with a plan for development for your state, while they are using tantra-mantra instead of loktantra.”
