RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's fulminations against infiltration in Bihar were "diversionary tactics" ahead of the assembly elections in the state.
Yadav spoke to journalists in Patna ahead of leaving for the adjoining Jehanabad district to launch "Bihar Adhikar Yatra", a veritable campaign for the upcoming assembly polls.
The RJD leader was asked to comment on the PM's speech at a rally in Purnea a day ago, when the opposition party was charged with "shielding and defending" infiltrators.
The PM had also asserted that infiltration led to a "demographic crisis" and left common people "worried about the honour of their sisters and daughters".
Yadav, whose party is immensely popular among the minorities, said, "Let us, for a moment, assume that there are infiltrators in Bihar. Then the question arises, what have you (Modi) been doing all along? You have been in power for 11 years. Besides, you (BJP-led NDA) have been ruling the state for 20 years." The leader of the opposition in the Bihar assembly wondered if the ruling dispensation has been able to identify a single infiltrator in Bihar.
"I must point out that it is a bogey they had similarly raised in Jharkhand last year when assembly polls were underway there. Now they have forgotten about that," Yadav claimed.
The former Deputy CM alleged, "The issue of infiltration is raised as diversionary tactics. The NDA realises its failure in providing good governance, ensuring that people had jobs, education, health care, and their grievances were quickly and effectively redressed." He also claimed that the INDIA bloc will "defeat the NDA in the polls".
"We will form a government that ensures 'padhaai', 'dawaai', 'kamaai', 'sunwaai' aur 'karwaai' (education, medicines, jobs, grievance redressal and taking measures to resolve issues). I am starting Bihar Adhikar Yatra with this very message", the RJD leader said.
The tech-savvy politician has also shared on his X handle a couple of videos proclaiming the "arrival of the RJD" with the people "yearning for a change" and crying out "we want Tejashwi".
The RJD leader, whose party is often accused by the NDA of having ushered in a "jungle raj" while in power in Bihar, cited an FIR against BJP leader and state minister Jibesh Kumar for allegedly manhandling a journalist in Darbhanga district.
"There can be no greater proof of jungle raj and reign of terror than the fact that a minister misbehaves with a journalist and an FIR is registered only after the intervention of the leader of the opposition. Of course, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar must be oblivious to all this as he is not in his senses any more," Yadav alleged.
Meanwhile, state Congress president Rajesh Kumar dismissed allegations that the "separate" programme of Yadav, who had accompanied Gandhi during the fortnight-long Voter Adhikar Yatra, indicated strained relations between the two parties.
He said, "We are alliance partners looking forward to contesting the assembly polls together. Tejashwi Yadav's Yatra will also strengthen our prospects."
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