Bettiah, Bihar: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying he should be ashamed of “seeking to know about the caste and religion of army jawans”.
Addressing back-to-back election rallies in Madhubani, West Champaran and Motihari districts, he also said illegal Bangladeshi immigrants snatch jobs and pose security threats to the country, while asserting that the Bihar assembly elections are for making the state “infiltrator-free”.
“Rahul Gandhi should be ashamed of seeking to know about the caste and religion of army jawans. We do not discriminate among military personnel on the basis of caste or creed,” he said.
Gandhi, while addressing public rallies in Bihar on Tuesday, claimed that lower castes, tribal communities and minorities have little representation in private firms, the judiciary, the bureaucracy and the armed forces, and that 10 per cent of the population controls these institutions.
Alleging that the RJD indulged in massacres and rapes while in power, Shah asserted that there is no place for ‘bahubalis’ (strongmen) in the NDA government.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi established Makhana Board… if Lalu and company come to power, ‘infiltrator ghusao board’ will be set up,” he alleged.
Referring to the RJD president and his wife, who were both chief ministers, the BJP leader said, “Lalu-Rabri welcome infiltrators. It is my pledge that each infiltrator will be driven out of the country.” He alleged that Lalu and Rabri insulted Madhubani and Mithila and it was the PM who ensured that due place is given to Madhubani painting, Makhana and other regional products.
The Union home minister claimed that the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad did not want ban on PFI but the Prime Minister ensured the Islamic organisation is proscribed from Kerala to Bihar.
Asserting that only the pair of Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar can prevent ‘jungle raj’ in Bihar, he alleged that Lalu Prasad and Rahul Gandhi were trying to pave the way for infiltrators.
“Modi visited Bihar 55 times in 10 years, whereas Manmohan Singh came to Bihar only five times during 10 years,” Shah said.
He alleged that the Lalu-Sonia-Manmohan regime saw repeated terrorist attacks with no retaliation, whereas Prime Minisiter Narendra Modi ensured a befitting reply to Pakistan.
“The PM is setting up a Defence Corridor in Bihar. If Pakistan-sponsored terrorists repeat their mistake, the cannons to be used against terrorists will be made in Bihar,” Shah said.
Hitting out at the RJD-led Mahagathbandhan, he said Champaran would turn into ‘mini-Chambal’ if ‘thagbandhan’ comes to power in Bihar.
Shah also attacked RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and his son Tejashwi Yadav for “raising slogans in the praise of late Mohammad Shahabuddin”, who was accused of unleashing terror in Siwan during the RJD’s 15-year rule in Bihar.
“Bihar waged a war against Indira Gandhi’s corruption, opposed the Emergency, but now the Congress is seeking to rule the state with RJD’s help,” he added.
“Neither Lalu Prasad nor Rahul Gandhi can prevent the construction of a grand Sita temple in Sitamarhi at a cost of Rs 850 crore within two-and-a-half years,” he added.
The temple will be connected to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya through rail and road routes, he said.
Shah said Champaran will get a new airport, all closed sugar mills in the region will be revived through cooperatives and major schemes will be launched for the Tharu community, if the NDA returns to power in the state.
He said that a new medical college is on the anvil in Motihari, while the Baba Someshwar Nath temple in Areraj will be renovated at Rs 100 crore.
Vidyapati Museum at Benipatti will be converted into an Art Centre at a cost of Rs 500 crore, he said.
Shah reitereated that if NDA is voted back to power, Bihar will be made flood-free in the next five years.
He slammed the RJD for its complaint to the Election Commission, seeking a pause on the Rs 10,000 benefit for ‘Jeevika Didis’, alleging that “three generations of Lalu won’t be able to snatch funds transferred” to the self-help groups.
He also reiterated that sugar mills in Bihar would be revived, the NDA returns to power.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)