Patna: Launching an electoral attack in Bihar, BJP president Amit Shah on Monday urged the people to vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi "for only one reason, he has made the country secure."
Addressing five rallies in the state, Shah said "here are the names of more than 100 welfare schemes launched by the Modi government. You need not, however, vote for your NDA candidate because of the improvement in your lives these measures might have brought. Simply vote for one reason, Modi has made the country secure".
Shah, who arrived here late Sunday night, addressed during the course of the day five back-to-back rallies in as many Lok Sabha constituencies - Sheohar, Pashchim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Siwan and Maharajgang.
At present, the BJP holds all the five constituencies and except for Siwan, which has been given up in favour of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's JD(U), its MPs are seeking re-election from their respective seats.
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"Recall the 10 years of UPA rule when Aliyas, Maliyas and Jamaliyas from Pakistan used to attack our armed forces at will and the government headed by Mauni Baba (former PM Manmohan Singh) and leaders like Rahul Baba could not utter a word. Contrast the situation with now when every bullet fired from across the border is retaliated with a mortar shell (goli kaa jawaab gola se)", Shah said.
"When 40 CRPF personnel were killed in Pulwama, Pakistan massed its troops along the borders fearing yet another surgical strike. But our Narendra Modi is the man with a 56-inch-chest. He commissioned the Air Force to do the needful and the terror hideout in Balakot was bombed and the militants were blown to smithereens (aatankwadiyon ke purze purze uda diye)", said Shah evoking wild applause from the crowds.
Lambasting the Congress for promising abrogation of Article 370 and its ally Omar Abdullah of the National Conference for demanding restoration of the post of Prime Minister in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP chief asserted "at present we are in power. But in future even if we cease to be in power we will fight tendencies which are sympathetic to Kashmir's secession, till our last breath".
At one of the rallies, Shah also made mention of the National Registry of Citizens which has become a contentious issue in the north-east and asserted "we are committed to driving out all infiltrators - from Kashmir to Kanyakumari and from Kolkata to Kutch."
In Siwan, Shah came down heavily on Lalu Prasad's RJD which has fielded Hina Shahab, the wife of jailed mafia don- turned-politician Mohd Shahabuddin, and said "the name of this land of first president Dr Rajendra Prasad by the reign of terror unleashed by Shahabuddin. The RJD, with the help of the Congress, is working towards bringing back the bad old days".
Canvassing for the JD(U) candidate Kavita Singh, a local MLA and wife of local muscleman Ajay Singh, Shah said "Nitish Kumar and (Deputy CM) Sushil Kumar Modi pulled Bihar out of the dark times. The state began making rapid progress. And when Narendra Modi took over at the Centre it became like sone pe suhaga and Bihar began moving ahead as if propelled by a double engine".
Exuding confidence of the BJP's victory in the ongoing general elections, Shah said at all the rallies "I have toured more than 290 constituencies across the country. People spoke different languages but the slogan was the same - Modi, Modi, Modi, Modi -. This is a clear indication that on May 23, after the counting of votes is over, Modi will be back as Prime
Minister".
