Staff Reporters / New Delhi / Patna
Union home minister Amit Shah today addressed a virtual rallies organised by the BJP to energize the the party workers in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, but he made certain political remarks that attracted opposition ire.
“This is not an election rally. This is a virtual rally to boost the morale of the public against the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said during the Bihar Jansamvad rally. “I want to salute the crores of corona warriors who are fighting against the virus by risking their lives. Health workers, police personnel and others, I want to acknowledge their contribution.”
At the same time Shah went on to list the achievements of both the central and Bihar government, attacked the opposition in the state and touched upon the touchy issue of the return of migrants.
Shah defended Centre’s handling of the migrant crisis during the lockdown. “I appeal to all people who returned from their workplace that keep yourself aloof from those elements who are out to misguide you,” he said and saluted their contribution in nation building.
“The elections are there. I have full faith that the people of the state will vote Nitish Kumar to power with a two-third majority and help form the government again,” said Shah, after he had spelt out statistics of work done in the state.
Home Minister recalled the role played by Jayaprakash Narayan movement in opposing the emergency rule imposed by the then Indira Gandhi government in 1975 while addressing the people of the eastern state in a virtual rally held amid the coronavirus pandemic. Shah added that Narendra Modi government’s pro-poor policies in the last 6 years have benefitted the eastern states the most.
“When Congress leader Indira Gandhi tried to subvert democracy by imposing Emergency, then the people from Bihar stood up to restore democracy through the JP movement,” Shah said.
Shah was referring to the people’s movement– also referred to as total revolution– led by socialist leader Jayaprakash Narayan, which opposed misrule in the state of Bihar and at the Centre and is widely credited with mobilising opposition to the emergency imposed by the Indira Gandhi government in 1975.
Responding to Congress RJD’s criticism that BJP was preparing for elections when the country was fighting coronavirus and said the virtual rally organised by the party was part of its culture of people outreach and is unrelated to polls.
Assembly elections are due in Bihar in October this year and the NDA has declared chief minister Nitish Kumar the leader of the alliance for the polls.
Earlier several RJD leaders including Rabri Devi, her sons, Tejashwi Yadav and Tej Pratap Yadav clanged utensils in a move to protest Shah’s virtual rally and to highlight the plight of migrant workers. The RJD says it is observing Garib Adhikaar Diwas to bring to light the sufferings of the poor class.
Shah said he was happy to see people beat utensils since it was in line with an appeal made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during one day long Janta Curfew in March to show respect to corona warriors at the forefront of the fight against the disease.
Narendra Modi ji’s government has worked to improve the lives of crores of poor people in the last six years and this has benefited our people from eastern India the most,” Shah said.
The BJP aims to connect over a crore people through virtual rallies in both West Bengal and Bihar.
Shah will next address the people of Odisha and West Bengal through virtual rallies on June 8 and June 9 respectively. BJP President JP Nadda and Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will also hold virtual rallies tomorrow in Gujarat and Maharashtra respectively.
