By Navneet Mishra
New Delhi, Jun 7 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday virtually launched the BJP's campaign for the Bihar polls later this year, raising issues like 'lalten raj', fodder scam and 'jungle raj', as he spared no opposition party, particularly Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal.
Though it was a virtual rally with an eye on upcoming assembly election in Bihar, Shah insisted that it has nothing to do with the elections. Exuding confidence, he tried to energise the party's cadres spread across hundreds of booths in the state.
In the first virtual rally in party's history, Shah touched upon all the issues that are going to decide the fate and direction of the elections.
Praising the work done by the Nitish Kumar government, Shah blamed former Chief Ministers -- Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi for the plight of the state. He said it is under the rule of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi that the state suffered the most.
"Under Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the state has moved from 'lalten raj' to 'LED raj', from 'loot and order' raj to 'law and order' raj from 'jungle raj' to 'people's raj', from 'muscle power' raj to 'vikas power' raj and from fodder scam raj to direct benefit transfer raj," he said.
The BJP has always been raising issues like fodder scam and 'jungle raj' to corner the RJD in every state election. Considering this when Amit Shah started talking about the Lalu-Rabri regime and put them in the dock for their 'misdeeds', it became a political rally though he denied that it has anything to do with politics.
Shah said this is no time for politics, but did not stop himself from saying that the NDA will form the government in the state in the next elections.
Without taking the name of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, Shah said: "I want to tell all those who believe in dynastic politics that they must look in the mirror. The growth rate of Bihar from 1990-2005 was 3.19 per cent. Today, it is 11.3 per cent under Nitish Kumar.
"I believe that under Nitish Kumar ji's leadership, NDA will form the government with 2/3rd majority but this isn't the time for politics. We all should fight Covid-19 under Modi ji's leadership."
Seeking to provide a healing touch to the woes of the migrant labourers, which could turn into a big political issue in Bihar, Shah underscored their importance. "Go to any part of the country -- Mumbai, Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu -- which are considered developed states, their foundation is due to the sweat and blood of migrant labourers of Bihar. The foundation of these states has the smell of the sweat of the person of Bihar. Those who humiliate them do not understand the passion of migrant labourers," he said.
The Home Minister also listed out the work done for the state under the Modi government. Referring to the package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar, he said that it has been converted into reality by the Modi government.
Praising the leadership of Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Modi, Shah said: "Both Nitish ji and Sushil ji are old fashioned. They do not like to tom-tom their achievements. They work quietly for the people. The Bihar government under his leadership has progressed very well."
Shah said it is a state like Bihar, which is part of eastern India, which has greatly benefited from the schemes of Modi government.
Shah also countered the opposition's criticism about his virtual rally during the pandemic. "Who has stopped them from doing this? Instead of sitting in Delhi, they should have also held a virtual rally to connect with people from Delhi to Patna and Darbhanga," he said.