Jamui (Bihar): Hailing the governance of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre over the last 10 years under his leadership, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said all that happened over the decade gone by was just a 'trailer' as a lot more would follow if he is elected for a third, straight term in office.
Addressing a campaign rally in Jamui on Thursday, PM Modi said, "Echoes in favour of the BJP and the NDA are not only renting the air across Bihar but also sounding in the far corners of the country. What happened in the last 10 years is just a trailer, as there's plenty more still to be done. We all have to come together to take the country forward."
Ripping into the Opposition bloc--INDIA, he said back in the day when the partners in the 'Ghamandia' alliance were in power at the Centre, "the trains that plied on our tracks were rickety at best. Now, the people of Bihar are travelling in the Vande Bharat".
"Those who gobbled up land in the name of giving jobs to the poor in the Railways can never do any good for the people of Bihar," PM Modi said, in a scathing takedown of the Opposition bloc.
He said India was considered 'weak' in the eyes of the world during the Opposition rule at the Centre but now, the country is a global leader.
"Congress and RJD tarnished the country's image before the world during their rule. The BJP and NDA are working towards one goal, which is to build a 'Viksit Bharat' (a developed India) and a prosperous Bihar. You all are, perhaps, aware of what the world used to think of us in the previous years. During the rule of Congress, India was considered a weak and poor country. Today, we are showing the way to the world...the whole world is watching us. How did our global profile and prestige rise by leaps and bounds? Today, we are the fifth-largest global economy," he said.
"On one side is the NDA government, which talks about setting up new industries. On the other, there are these people whose only claim to fame is the kidnapping industry. On one side is the NDA government, which talks about solar power and LED lights. On the other are these arrogant leaders in the Opposition coalition, who want to take Bihar back to the age of the lantern," Prime Minister Modi added.
Invoking late NDA partner and the chief of the undivided Lok Janshakti Party (LJP), Ram Vilas Paswan, PM Modi said he was satisfied that his son Chirag Paswan is carrying forward his ideas and vision with full sincerity and devotion.
"We are all feeling his loss today. This is the first election where Bihar's proud son and Padma Bhushan recipient Ram Vilas Paswan ji is not among us. However, I am happy that my younger brother Chirag Paswan is carrying forward the ideas and vision of his father with absolute seriousness and devotion," he said.
He added that both Congress and RJD hurt Bihar's pride and insulted the state's luminaries, including former CM and Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur.
"Both the Congress and RJD insulted Bihar and Bihari pride at every opportunity. They insulted Karpoori Thakur. Just some time ago, our government conferred the country's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on Karpoori Thakur (posthumously). Even then, they scoffed at our decision. It was under our government that the 500-year dream of a Ram Mandir was fulfilled. The Congress and the RJD had used all their might to stop the Ram Mandir from becoming a reality. Even today, these people don't tire of hurling insults at Ram Bhakts and the Ram Mandir," PM Modi said.
—ANI