'Don't Repose Trust In 'Jungle Raj Wearing New Mask': Union HM Amit Shah To People Of Bihar

Patna: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday expressed hope that the NDA will retain power in Bihar, spurning the RJD-helmed INDIA bloc, which was "jungle raj wearing a new mask".

The former BJP president, who concluded a three-day tour of the poll-bound state, promised that the NDA will carry forward the march towards progress that Bihar has witnessed "with PM Narendra Modi above and CM Nitish Kumar below”.

"I have been here to seek the blessings of the people of Bihar, which has been like a pothole we filled up in the last 20 years, and we propose to build a grand structure on the firm ground that is now in place. I plead with the people not to trust those who would bring back jungle raj, wearing a new mask," Shah told 'Bihar Samagam', a conclave jointly organised by ABP News and Hindustan.

"I urge the people to give one more chance to the NDA, which is contesting under the credible face of Nitish Kumar. This would help us in continuing the progress that has been made over the years, with Modi above and Nitish below," he said.

The BJP leader also refused to comment on former political strategist Prashant Kishor's one-year-old Jan Suraaj Party, which, many believe, could emerge as the proverbial dark horse.

"He (Kishor) has floated a new party which is contesting elections for the first time. We shall talk about him once the votes are counted and results are declared," came the curt reply from Shah, when he was asked about the Jan Suraaj Party levelling serious charges against several BJP leaders in the state.

Shah also dismissed the opposition's charge that the ruling NDA announced lots of freebies ahead of the elections, having remained indifferent to the people's woes for the entire tenure.

"The opposition says so because it is worried for itself. They do not know who is going to lead them and which party wants to field whom from which seat," said Shah, pointing towards the turmoil that prevails in the RJD, Congress and Left camp, which has not been able to announce a seat-sharing formula and is heading for "friendly fights" in a number of constituencies.

He said people of Bihar have been receiving the benefits of the NDA's welfare measures ever since Modi became the PM.

"Five kg of free foodgrains are being given to 8.52 crore people every month. Kisan Samman Nidhi has been given to 87 lakh farmers, while 52 lakh have benefited from the crop insurance scheme. Free medical treatment, under Ayushman Bharat Yojana, has been made available to 3.53 lakh beneficiaries. Gas cylinders under the Ujjwala scheme have reached 1.57 crore women, and 44 lakh homeless people have got new houses," he said.

He claimed that Bihar has come a long way since the JD(U)-BJP combine came to power, saying, "Many years ago, when I had visited Gayaji for the Shraaddh of my father, it took me six and a half hours to reach the pilgrim town from Patna. Today you can reach there in two hours."

He claimed people of Bihar would admit that kidnapping for ransom and caste wars have come to an end.

"Several high-quality colleges and hospitals have come up. There has been a massive improvement in infrastructure," he added.

"In the next few years, we wish to tap the untapped potential in Bihar, which may not have abundant land for setting up big industrial units, but has a large pool of talented workforce. We are in an age of Artificial Intelligence, and we want to make the state an AI hub," he said.

Shah said Bihar is the land of emperors like Chandragupta Maurya, a seat of power for the entire country for nearly 700 years, and there is no reason why it cannot regain its lost glory.

(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and auto-generated from an agency feed.)

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