IANS/Patna
Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday said that leaders of the Grand Alliance in Bihar comprising the Janata Dal-United, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Congress were playing the “politics of opportunism”.
“The same people who talk about Jayaprakash Narayan have sided with the Congress, which arrested him (during Emergency). They are practising the politics of opportunism,” the prime minister said while addressing the first of his four scheduled rallies in Bihar’s Munger district yesterday.
He will address three more rallies in Begusarai, Samastipur and Nawada districts later.
“The Congress had turned the country into a jail (during Emergency). J P Narayan had the courage to even fight death. He sacrificed his life for the country. He inspired a whole new generation of youth in the country,” Modi said.
He said the Bihar elections were a fight between ‘jungle raj’ and ‘vikas raj’ and that the people would vote for the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance to stop the return of ‘jungle raj’ in the state.
“For the first time, the Bihar elections will be fought on the issues of development and youth. The youth of Bihar will change the state’s destiny. We will change the fortune of Bihar,” he added.
Modi said the biggest manifestation of the ‘jungle raj’ was the high rate of crime, fear and kidnappings. “Do you want kidnappings to return and do you want the ‘jungle raj’ to return to the state,” he asked.
He targeted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD chief Lalu Prasad yadav, saying that “for the last 25 years, the big brother and the younger brother have ruled and ruined Bihar”.
“Do you want them to come to power again? They didn’t provide electricity as promised and yet they come asking for votes,” the prime minister said.
l Yadav yesterday questioned Modi’s silence on the issue of reservation for Dalits and OBCs after Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Chief Mohan Bhagwat demanded a review of the policy.
“Why has Modi remained silent on the reservation issue after the RSS chief demanded to end it. He should have either condemned the statement or provided a clarification on his stand,” Yadav said.
He said reservation should be in proportion to the population of Dalits and OBCs. “We are looking for an increase in reservation and the RSS is conspiring to end it, we will not allow it.”
Yadav also targeted BJP president Amit Shah. “Shah is dreaming of becoming prime minister by pushing back Modi.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses an election rally in Munger, Bihar yesterday.
