Hitting the ground in Bihar to campaign for the Mahagathbandhan in the upcoming Assembly polls, former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Friday targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi over issues ranging from the migrant crisis to the Chinese aggression to farm Bills, and the BJP over its election promises like of providing 19 lakh jobs which, he said, was similar to that of depositing Rs 15 lakh in the bank accounts of the people.
Rahul and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, who is the leader of the Opposition alliance, addressed a joint rally at Nawada, coinciding with Modi’s first day of rallies in Bihar with Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.
With the PM citing the bravery of the jawans from Bihar in their clash with Chinese soldiers at the Galwan valley, Rahul accused Modi of having “insulted” the soldiers with his comment that nobody had intruded into Indian territory in Ladakh, and demanded that he tell the country when will the Chinese “be thrown out”.
Addressing his first rally during the Bihar Assembly elections, Rahul claimed the Chinese army had indeed intruded into Indian territory. He said, “They have seized 1,200 km of our land. But when the Chinese army intruded, why did our Prime Minister insult our soldiers by saying that nobody entered into the Indian side?”
“The question is, Modi, when will you throw out the Chinese soldiers sitting in our territory,” the Rahul said.
“Don’t lie to the people of Bihar, Modi. Did you give jobs to people of Bihar? Last elections, PM promised 2 crore jobs, no one got them. In public, he says I bow my head to Army, farmers, labourers and traders. But once he reaches home, he only works for Ambani and Adani,” the Congress leader said.
He also attacked the Centre over the migrant crisis triggered by the pandemic-induced lockdown, alleging when workers from Bihar were being “chased away” from other States the Prime Minister did nothing to help them. He demanded that the Prime Minister tell people of Bihar how many jobs he gave them and when.
A huge gathering was seen at the Hisua rally venue, with people also crowding the roof a college building where it was held.
RJD’s Yadav, the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan, said the elections that were under way will not be fought on the issue of caste or religion but unemployment and poverty.
Addressing another election rally at Bhagalpur, Rahul alleged that Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar broke the backbone of the farmers, and medium and small businesses in the State.
He said Modi calls himself a nationalist but weakened the country over the last six years. “Economy is suppressed and farmers oppressed,” Rahul added.
The Congress leader also hit out at the Centre over the recent farm laws, saying these have been brought to attack the farmers. “They had ended the mandi system and the MSP regime in Bihar already and now, they are doing that across the country,” he said.
