New Delhi, Apr 15: Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi dominated the major part of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar's speech today at the National Council meet of his party Janata Dal (United). Though he did not name Modi, but the barbs were clearly aimed at the Gujarat strongman.
Read the barbs from Nitish Kumar's speech:
• “Even a powerful leader like Indira Gandhi was rejected by the nation because she imposed Emergency. This country cannot be run by sheer force, it can be run only through reconciliation and brotherhood, and if necessary, one has to wear a Muslim cap” (Modi had refused to wear a Muslim cap during his Sadbhavna Yatra in Gujarat)
• “I am not in delusion that I'd one day become PM. Our strength is far less, and if I come under delusion, I will face the same consequences as H D Devegowda, I K Gujral and Chandrashekhar.”
• “The only thing that we want is: this country must have a prime minister who should be secular and who should be willing to carry everybody with him.”
• “We ddn't need Modification.”
• “Results may change in one or two states, but this country needs a leader of the stature of Atalji. Atalji always used to speak of following ‘rajdharma'. We want the same, but if this doesn't happen and we fail...then what about kursi (power)? Power comes and goes...Who has seen tomorrow...If something changes, then we will decide in accordance with the changed situation.”
• “We won't like to stay in power by compromising on the issue of secularism.”
• “We have seen many such atmospheres (mahaul) in the last two years. We held a rally at Ramlila Maidan. Ramlila Maidan itself has seen several such atmospheres (mahaul). Merely creating atmosphere won't do.” (reference to Anna, Ramdev, Kejriwal)
• “Bihar has its own story of development. How can we bring seashores to Bihar? Lord Krishna left Mathura for Dwarka in search of power, an army and money. Every place has its own significance.”
• “It is not necessary that one state's development model will be useful for the other state. Here, development of developed states are being projected as development.”
• “Development does not mean industries alone, it includes humans. What is the use of development, if malnutrition remains, and the state faces water shortage.”
• “In the beginning, the BJP didn't get allies. We became their allies. It was Atalji's stature that he continued to get allies. If they change their path, then there will be problems.”
• “When we came together, it was decided that BJP will not press for removing Article 370 (special status to Kashmir), enforcing uniform civil code, and follow the court verdict in Ayodhya dispute. So, if we want to continue our alliance, then some things should be made clearer.”
• “In the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, NDA won 32 out of 40 seats from Bihar. In the 2010 Bihar assembly polls, efforts were made to create fissures in our alliance, but we fought jointly and won 206 out of 243 seats. We fought the Bihar polls jointly, and did not take outside support.”
• “Our model of development in Bihar was aimed at developing all strata of society. It's development with justice. We speak of inclusive growth. Our index of development not merely based on GDP growth rate. That's how we brought Bihar back on tracks.”
