Narendra Modi announces Rs 1.25 lakh crore package for poll-bound Bihar
Arrah, Bihar: In a major pre-poll sop for Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced package of a whopping Rs 1.25 lakh crore, promising that the state will touch new heights of development if the BJP is voted to power.
Modi also hit out at Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for putting the prestige of Bihar at stake for his political gains by pleading with the previous UPA government for packages and getting only Rs 12000 crore.
"I am here today to fulfill my promise to you. I am announcing a package of Rs 1.25 lakh crore for Bihar. Now you give me your blessings to change the fate of Bihar... Only development will benefit the state and eradicate its poverty. Bihar will touch new heights of development," he said at a government function where several projects were launched. Modi also made it clear that the Rs 1.25 lakh crore package will be in addition to the ongoing development projects worth Rs 40657 cr, announced previously.
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Amid high-stakes Assembly election, BJP is banking heavily on the Centre's development package to wrest power from Kumar, its one time ally-turned-rival, who has now joined hands with Lalu Prasad's RJD to take on the saffron combine.
Attacking Kumar for his claim that Bihar was no longer a 'bimaru' state as claimed by Modi in his previous rally in Bihar, Modi wondered why the chief minister had been seeking packages all the time.
"Our chief minister turned very angry and said who is Modi to call Bihar a 'bimaru' state. He said with authority that Bihar is no longer a bimaru state. If it is true, then I will be the happiest person. I welcome this."
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"Tell me, if somebody is healthy, will he go to a doctor. If somebody's stomach is full, will he go anywhere seeking food? I am surprised that on the one hand he says Bihar is not bimaru and on the other he keeps asking for something or the other. Let the people of Bihar decide," Modi, accompanied by many Union Ministers, said.
Later addressing a rally in Saharasa, the Prime Minister cited latest state government crime figures to argue that Bihar was already hearing the footsteps of 'jungle raaj', a jibe at Kumar's alliance with Lalu Prasad's RJD, whose government in the 90s was criticised for the poor law and order situation.
Between January and June 2015, heinous crimes had risen by 34 per cent and murders by 46 per cent across the state, he said, adding these were signs of 'jungle raaj'. Numbers of riots had increased by 72 per cent, he said.
"Tell me, these are signs of jungle raaj or not. Your life will become difficult or not... You give us power in Patna and we will sort out all your problems," he said.
Lashing out at Kumar, Modi said he has "sat in the lap" of Congress which had jailed Jayaprakash Narayan and called it a "betrayal" with the socialist leader.
"I have announced a Rs 1.25 lakh crore package to change the fate of Bihar, to make a 'naya' Bihar. I assure you that I will change the face of Bihar," he told a rally as he sought their votes for the BJP-led NDA.
Talking of Kumar's decision to split with BJP in 2013, which Modi dubbed as a betrayal with the saffron party and the people of Bihar, the Prime Minister said he ran to the then
UPA government offering his support to it if the state was given a package.
"He got Rs 12,000 crore and began dancing over it. This package played with the self-respect of Bihar... The total package I have given is Rs 1.65 lakh crore," Modi said, underlining that the Rs 1.25 cr package was in addition to several projects worth Rs 40000 cr announced earlier.
The Prime Minister also made a mention of 2008 Kosi floods, which had badly hit the region, and targeted Kumar for returning Rs 5 cr cheque sent to Bihar by him as the then Gujarat Chief Minister.
"Is this behaviour appropriate in public life? People in the Kosi region may die but I will not leave my arrogance. Those who cannot leave their arrogance should be left or not?," he said, without naming the chief minister.
Kumar had returned the cheque after Modi put out advertisements in Bihar newspapers about it, which he saw as an attempt by the BJP leader to build his political capital.
This was Modi's third rally in Bihar and first in the Mithila region, which the NDA had swept in the Lok Sabha polls.
