Only one family prospered in Bihar during ‘jungle raj’: PM Modi

The PM was responding to Lalu Prasad’s recent jibe that “Modi’s dislike for dynastic politics” stemmed from him having “no family” of his own. Modi accused Prasad and his family of bringing “jungle raj” during their decade-and-a-half-long rule in the state. “Jab tak Bihar me lalten ka raaj raha, tab tak ek hi parivar ki garibi miti. Ek hi parivaar samriddh hua (Till the time there was lantern rule in Bihar, poverty of only one family was alleviated and only one family prospered).”

The PM played up his job opportunities promise by unveiling projects worth Rs 12,800 crore in West Champaran district and said the biggest beneficiaries of the projects would be the youths who are looking for employment. Without naming Lalu or other Opposition leaders, Modi said, “These dynastic people had been responsible for keeping Ram Lalla in tents for decades and also made every attempt to thwart temple construction,” he said. Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, who is scheduled to travel abroad from Thursday, could not share the dais with Modi Wednesday. While attacking the Opposition leaders over the “no family” statement, the PM said they would have targeted even Mahatma Gandhi, BR Ambedkar, Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakur as “none of them promoted their own families”.

Modi began his speech in Bettiah by attacking “jungle raj” in Bihar. “Since Independence, migration to other places in search of livelihood has been a major challenge before Bihar. The problem peaked when ‘jungle raj’ came,” said Modi, alluding to the rise to power of Lalu Prasad in the 1990s. “An entire generation was deprived of future prospects during the jungle raj. Only one family progresses. One saw how land plots were taken in lieu of giving jobs. Will you forgive such people,” he asked, referring to the alleged scam in which Lalu Prasad’s wife Rabri Devi, son Tejashwi Yadav and daughter Misa Bharti have been named as accused.

Launching an attack on INDIA bloc, Modi said: “On one hand, new India is coming up, and on the other, RJD, Congress and INDI alliance have been living in a different world. I want solar lights on every roof but they are still moving in light of lantern…” Talking about his life, he said, “The person standing in front of you had left his home at a very early age. If a person from Bihar goes to work anywhere, he returns during Chhath and Diwali. But Modi had no place to return. For me, entire India is home, every Indian is my family.”

Meanwhile, Modi inaugurated Duhai-Modinagar (North) section of Delhi-Meerut RRTS Corridor, Pune Metro’s Ruby Hall Clinic-Ramwadi stretch, Kochi Metro’s SN Junction to Tripunithura section and Agra Metro’s Taj East Gate-Mankameshwar section. —with PTI inputs