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In a major show of strength, the alliance of the ruling Janata Dal (United) and Rashtriya Janata Dal, plus the Congress party, came together for a 'Swabhiman' rally here on Sunday, ahead of the legislative Assembly elections.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar of the JD(U) took turns to hit at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), at their first joint rally. The three shared the dais as a show of unity, also praising each other.
They raised the issue of 'Bihari pride' and said the people would give a fitting reply to Modi for having allegedly "denigrated the legacy of the state" with some recent remarks.
Gandhi lashed at the Modi government as having done "nothing except show bazi" on major issues. It had, she said, slashed allocations to all major social security schemes, such as the rural jobs guarantee. "This is an anti-farmer government," she declared. "They want to grab land and distribute it among their rich friends. We fought for the protection of farmers' rights in Parliament and the government had to bow down."
The Modi government, she added, had done the "opposite to what it had promised during elections". Also, she said, the PM had demeaned Bihar and its people, hailing Nitish Kumar and also Lalu Prasad for taking Bihar forward on a path of development, for which, she said, her party had "contributed significantly".
The state CM said the Centre's decision to retreat on proposed amendments in the Land Acquisition Act was a major defeat for it. On Modi's recent remarks about negative perceptions on denizens' DNA, the CM said he should withdraw these. "This is the place from where Gautam Buddha, Mahavir and Aryabhatta came...My DNA is the same DNA."
Lalu Prasad raked the issue of caste and called for Muslims-Yadavs to stand against the BJP. "Nitish and I are sons of backward castes. They are saying that since Lalu and Nitish have joined hands, jungleraj has returned. They are indirectly hinting that Yadavs are responsible for jungleraj. BJP wants to split Yadavs. Will you split? Will Yadavs leave Lalu? No, they will not," said the RJD chief.
Countering Modi's comment that the JD(U)-RJD alliance would bring a second instalment of jungleraj, Prasad termed the JD(U)-RJD-Cong-SP coalition a 'Mangal Raj Part-2'. The RJD chief said the BJP wants to "create tension between Hindus and Muslims. I know their design."
"On Lalu and Nitish's alliance, they say the law and order situation has worsened. By the way, what's the situation of Gujarat nowadays? Modiji, do tell us," Lalu asked.
