Khagaria (Bihar) [India], October 26 : Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday slammed the Opposition ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, warning the public against the return of "jungle raj" if the RJD and Congress-led Mahagathbandhan comes to power.
Addressing public meetings in Khagaria, Munger and Nalanda, Amit Shah extended greetings for the Chhath Puja festival and prayed that Bihar remains free from "jungle-raj."
In Khagaria, Shah stated, "You all know that the great festival of Chhath has begun today. I wish all the people of Bihar a very happy Chhath festival. I pray to Chhath Maiya that our Bihar remains free from jungle raj, that law and order remain strong, that our sisters and daughters remain safe, and that Bihar becomes a developed state in the future. This is what I want to pray to Chhath Maiya."
He also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for Operation Sindoor and slammed the Congress and RJD for remaining "silent" for the "greed of vote bank" during the UPA government when "Pakistan attacked every day."
Addressing an election rally in Khagaria, Shah highlighted that PM Modi has made India safe with retaliation after terror attacks in Uri, Pulwama and Pahalgam.
The BJP leader said, "PM Modi has made our country safe. During the UPA government, Pakistan attacked every day. Driven by the greed for vote bank, Sonia, Manmohan, and Lalu governments remained silent."
"After Modi ji came to power, three attacks were carried out: Uri, Pulwama, and Pahalgam. Surgical strike and air strike were carried out, and after Pahalgam, Operation Sindoor was launched. Modi ji has worked to secure India. He has worked to make India prosperous," he added.
India had launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the April 22 terror attack in Jammu-Kashmir's Pahalgam, during which 26 people were killed by Pakistan-sponsored terrorists.
He further claimed that when the RJD was in power, elections in the state required six phases, but now they require only two phases, reflecting better law and order under the NDA government.
"During Lalu-Rabri's era, law and order in Bihar had deteriorated to the point that elections required six phases. Under Nitish Kumar and PM Modi, this was reduced to two phases. If the NDA government is formed again, future elections will be held in a single phase," Amit Shah said in an election rally in Nalanda.
Addressing a rally in Munger, he said the land has a historic connection with Lord Ram.
Slamming the Opposition over Ram Temple in Ayodhya, he said, "We have also decided to link Munger with the Ramayana Circuit... For 500 years, Ram Lalla resided in a tent in Ayodhya. Congress, SP, BSP, Mamata Banerjee, and Lalu Yadav have all opposed the building of the temple. However, since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister in 2019, he not only performed the Bhumi Pujan (of Ram Mandir) but also conducted the Pran Prathishtha ceremony. Additionally, construction of Goddess Sita's temple in Sithamarhi is underway. Kastaharni Ghat and Mata Sita Charan Temple will also be developed," he said.
"Near Khagaria, where our Yatra (Rath Yatra initiated by BJP in 1990 for the construction of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya) was halted in Samastipur, the BJP will establish a temple of Lord Ram and Goddess Sita... We are also planning to establish an airport in Munger... The Lalu and Rabri governments have done nothing but promote corruption," he added.
However, his staunch attack also invited for response from the Opposition as Congress leader and Senior Election Observer for the AICC, Ashok Gehlot, alleged that the BJP leader used the festival for electoral gains ahead of the Assembly Elections.
Speaking to ANI, Gehlot accused the BJP-JD(U) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Bihar of "misleading" the public, saying their "jumlas" (false promises) would not work.
The Congress leader said, "Their 'jumlas' will not work. If Amit Shah ji prays to Chhathi Maiya, it's for electoral gains. They have come here for the elections and are misleading people. The situation in Bihar is serious, and the youth are unemployed."
Expressing confidence in Mahagathbandhan's victory, Gehlot said that the Opposition's alliance will give a "good fight" to the NDA in the upcoming polls.
"Our campaign will keep expanding, and we will give a good fight (to NDA). They (NDA) win elections by doing polarisation on the basis of religion and caste. It is now the turn of Mahagathbandhan to come to power in Bihar," he said.
After Amit Shah slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi over his 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', saying it was held to "protect infiltrators", Congress MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh hit back, saying the party has not stopped the removal of infiltrators.
He said, "When has Congress ever stopped the removal of infiltrators? But the issue of infiltrators only comes up during elections. Now this same issue will be picked up in West Bengal, and after that in Assam. If you remove the infiltrators, we have never refused. It can't be that infiltrators are only used in election speeches, right?"
Amit Shah had criticised Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and assured the public that the NDA government in Bihar would remove infiltrators from the state.
"Recently, Rahul Baba came to protect infiltrators. Tell me, should the names of infiltrators be removed from the voter list or not? Form the NDA government again. I promise you that we will remove every single infiltrator from Bihar," Shah said.
Amit Shah's rallies come ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, which will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The poll results will be announced on November 14.
The main contest is between the Nitish Kumar-led NDA and the RJD-led opposition alliance Mahagathbandhan.NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular) and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM).
Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), includes Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML), the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP).