PATNA: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a blistering attack on RJD chief Lalu Prasad after a portrait of Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar was purportedly seen placed near someone’s feet.
Modi said the people of Bihar would never forget such an insult to the Dalit icon.
“RJD and Congress keep Baba Saheb at their feet, I keep him in my heart,” Modi remarked, lashing out at Lalu Prasad without directly naming him, during a public meeting held at Jasauli in Siwan district.
“The entire country has seen how RJD behaved with the portrait of Baba Saheb. Posters have been put up asking them to apologise for insulting him, but I know they never will, because they have no respect for Dalits and the extremely backward class. By insulting Ambedkar, they want to show they are bigger than him in stature,” he added.
Modi continued his scathing criticism by drawing a contrast between his government and the opposition. “I emphasise Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, but for RJD and Congress, it is only Parivar Ka Saath, Parivar Ka Vikas,” he said, while launching and laying foundation stones for various projects.
He accused both RJD and Congress of practising dynastic politics, saying the leaders of both parties could even harm the interests of crores of families in Bihar and the country if it benefited their own families. “Since Ambedkar was against such politics, both RJD and Congress continue to insult him,” he said.
Sharpening his attack further, Modi claimed both parties were anti-development and anti-investment as far as Bihar was concerned.
Applauding Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Modi said the CM had created a launch pad for Bihar’s rapid growth and that the state would soon scale new heights, restoring its glorious past.
He asserted that the NDA, with the support of the people, would turn Bihar into a major hub of the Centre’s Make in India initiative. With the rollout of various development projects, including those related to rail and road infrastructure, the state, he said, was poised to enter a new phase of progress.
