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Bihar Assembly Election 2020: Adityanath targets Owaisi, Rahul Gandhi and Pakistan
Adityanath said Pakistan fears another surgical strike in case of any nefarious activity against India while crediting the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre for enhancing the country security
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday hit out at All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asauddin Owaisi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the end to Jammu & Kashmir’s special status through the nullification of Constitution’s Article 370 last year has caused the two much pain. “ Only two people Owaisi and Rahul Gandhi praise Pakistan. They cannot think about the welfare of the nation,” he said during electioneering in poll-bound Bihar.
Adityanath said Pakistan fears another surgical strike in case of any nefarious activity against India while crediting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government at the Centre for enhancing the country security. “Even the Prime Minister of Pakistan [Imran Khan] is now scared because he knows if there is any nefarious activity against India, there could be another surgical strike...” he said.
Adityanath was referring to the September 2016 cross-border operation against the terror launchpads in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir in response to an attack on an army camp in Jammu & Kashmir’s Uri.
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During electioneering in Bihar in 2015, Amit Shah, the then BJP chief, said “crackers will fly in Pakistan if the BJP loses in Bihar”. The BJP lost the election when chief minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), or JD(U), successfully contested it in alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). JD (U) returned to the NDA fold and formed the government again with the BJP in 2017.
Adityanath said the NDA government has also brought fame for India across the globe. He referred to the Citizen (Amendment) Act passed last year to fast-track the citizenship process for non-Muslims, who have entered India from Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Bangladesh before December 31, 2014. He called the legislation one of the big bold decisions of the government.
Adityanath, who began campaigning in Bihar on Tuesday, took pot-shots at the RJD’s poll promise of providing one million jobs. He called the pledge an eyewash. “Those who could not provide ration during their stint in power and even stole fodder of animals cannot be trusted in giving jobs,” said Adityanath. He recalled the fodder scam of the mid-1990s related to embezzlement of funds in the supply of fodder from treasuries. RJD chief Lalu Prasad is in jail after his conviction for the scam.
Adityanath praised Nitish Kumar for ushering in progress and development in Bihar. “Some parties like the RJD and Congress are only interested in family and never care for the welfare of the people,” he said. He accused the RJD and Congress of promoting dynastic politics.
Nitish Kumar separately attacked RJD over its 15-year rule, recalling how kidnappings were regular when Lalu Prasad and his wife, Rabri Devi, helmed the state.
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