Chhapra/Muzaffarpur, Oct 30

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday accused the Congress-RJD alliance in Bihar of insulting ‘Chhathi Maiyya’, opposing the Ram temple, and shielding infiltrators for vote-bank politics.

Addressing rallies in Muzaffarpur and Chhapra, Modi launched a sharp attack on the opposition, a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the Prime Minister had planned a “drama” by taking a dip in the Yamuna for Chhath Puja, which was cancelled after the “clean water setup” was exposed.

“It is my first tour of Bihar after Chhath Puja, which is now celebrated globally. The festival symbolises devotion and equality — that is why my government is working to secure a UNESCO heritage tag for it,” Modi said.

The Prime Minister said while he was striving to bring honour to the festival, Congress and RJD leaders were ridiculing it by calling it a “nautanki”. “This is an insult that Bihar will not forget for centuries,” he declared.

He also referred to past remarks by a former Congress Chief Minister of Punjab, who said Biharis should be driven away, adding that a Congress MP had laughed and clapped at the statement. The reference appeared to be to Charanjit Singh Channi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.

Continuing his attack, Modi said the INDIA bloc practises appeasement politics. “They protect infiltrators for votes and have a problem with everything related to our cultural heritage,” he said, adding that opposition leaders have “time to travel abroad” but never visit the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Calling them naamdars (dynasts), Modi said they cannot digest that a leader from a backward class who once sold tea has risen to such heights. “I owe my achievements not to their blessings but to the people’s faith and Babasaheb Ambedkar’s Constitution,” he said, accusing the Congress and RJD of insulting Ambedkar.

He claimed surveys indicated a “massive NDA victory” in Bihar and said the opposition was “resorting to false promises”. “The RJD-Congress manifesto is actually a rate chart — of corruption, ransom, and loot,” he said.

Modi alleged that the Congress-RJD alliance represented five ‘Ks’: katta (guns), kroorta (cruelty), katuta (resentment), kushasan (misgovernance), and corruption. He also criticised the songs played at RJD rallies, saying they glorify weapons and violence.

The Prime Minister claimed that during the RJD regime, Bihar witnessed 35,000–40,000 kidnappings and widespread lawlessness. “Goons looted vehicle showrooms. The CM’s Office had become a shelter for mafias,” he alleged.

Referring to the land-for-jobs scam involving RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Modi asked, “Can those who looted the railways bring development and connectivity to Bihar?”

He also mentioned the 2001 Golu kidnapping and murder case from Muzaffarpur and cited a letter written by an IAS officer’s wife to the then Governor alleging sexual assault by ruling party leaders, saying it reflected the state of law and order under RJD.

“The NDA stands for honouring cultural heritage and all-round development,” Modi said, urging young voters to ensure “phir ek baar NDA sarkar” and “phir ek baar sushaasan sarkar” (NDA government once again, good governance once again).