PATNA: Amid the battle with COVID-19, BJP's master strategist and Union Home Minister Amit Shah at his first virtual rally on Sunday sounded confident about the continuation of Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar with two-third majority in the upcoming Assembly elections.
He said that Bihar has come a long way from the jungle raj to Janta Raj (people's rule), loot and order to law and order ,the fodder scams to DBT and the bahubal to vikas bal under the NDA governance.
Asking the people of state and migrants in particular not to get misled by someone in politics, Shah said that the migrants's contributions in the development of many other states are well known and worth salutations.
He put all speculations at rest over leadership of NDA in the state for the upcoming elections, Shah reiterated that the NDA will form the government under leadership of Nitish Kumar.
"This is not,in fact, an election talks as some in opposition have termed but I am confident that the NDA under the leadership of Nitish Kumar ji will form the government with 2/3rd majority in the upcoming elections," he claimed, lauding the performances of CM Nitish Kumar and his junior Sushil Kumar Modi in battle with the COVID-19 pandemic.
He started speaking at the first virtual rally, termed as Bihar Samvad rally, showcased in all of Bihar's 242 assembly segments through 200 LCD screens and other virtual mediums, uninterrupted, saluting the the cores of Corona Warriors fighting against the pandemic and acknowledging the contribution of others including health workers and police.
Presenting each and every detail of performances and initiatives taken by PM Narendra Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar for fighting against the COVID-19 and development, Shah didn't miss a chance to take a dig at opposition.
"Some social organisations have advised Rahul Gandhi for speaking loudly to get more votes and more vocal. But here performances of PM Narendra Modi speak louder than Rahul," he sarcastically said.
He also mocked Rahul Gandhi saying that while some people are engaged in conducting interviews, PM Narendra Modi is providing strong leadership to conquer over the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
He also took a swipe,albeit indirectly,at the RJD's protest and said, "Some people in politics welcomed our virtual rally by clanging utensils. And I am glad that finally they understood and followed what PM Modi's had appealed to show solidarity in the fight against the COVID-19 earlier."
Ahead of Shah's rally, RJD has protested against Shah's virtual rally by clinging the utensils observing the Garib Adhikar Diwas (poor rights day) with the party leaders and workers throughout the state terming it as a "political vulturism".
He lashed out the opposition those who see politics in the rally, who had stopped them to do a virtual rally to connect the people from Delhi to Patna and Darbhanga instead of sitting in Delhi.
Quoting the success of Janata curfew,he said that it would be written in golden letters in the democratic history of India that without using any police force on the appeal of one leader of the county (read Narendra Modi), the whole country respected the appeal of its leader by maitaining Janta Curfew.
"And now, the country's 130 crorepopulation are solidly standing like a rock in battle against COVID-19 with Modiji," Shah averred, adding that the special package of Rs 20 lakh crores would hugely benefit the people of Bihar.
Bestowing lot of dignity to the migrant-labourers, who returned to Bihar from outside, Shah categorically said, "Behind the development of many states of the country, there are contributions of migrant-labourers of Bihar and their sweat. But some people for the sake of vested politics are trying to mislead them."
He called upon the migrant-labourers and whosoever have returned not get misled by those people who only used them for their politics.
Quoting figures, he said that more than 1.25 crores migrants have been ferried by the special trains named in their honours as the migrant special to their destinations following the politico bulwark of Modiji- 'Sab ka saath,Sab ka Vikas and Sab ka Vishwas'.
Spelling out the benefit of one nation,one ration card,he said that with the implementation of this much-needed scheme, now the poor people can avail the ration benefits anywhere in the country.
He also glorified the surgical and air force strikes against Pakistan-backed terrorist organisations and said that the country's sovereignty was safe and sound with a PM like NArendra Modi.
He also read out the funds and other financial assistances provided to the states including Bihar during the NDA rule in the Centre, claiming that a sum of Rs 11,000 crores was released to states for making foods arrangments for migrants in addition various other financial assistances given to the development of states.
Praising PM Modi, he said that the the Prime Minister had hold rounds of talks with the CMs of different states including Bihar to formulate strategies for fighting against the outbreak of COVID-19 successfully.
Going beyond the country, he said that India's defence policy has been acknowledged and accepted all over the world. "Now it has become a foregone conclusion to the world that after USA and Israel, it is India that can protect its borders any time," he said.
He added that the JP Nadda-led BJP has made arrangements to conduct 75 such virtual rallies across the country with the next one on June 8 in Odisha.