Patna: Sounding the poll bugle for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, top leaders of the Congress Party and various Opposition parties, addressed a rally in Patna on March 3, 2024, to mobilise public opinion against the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre.

Addressing a huge crowd during the ‘Jan Vishwas Maha Rally’ at Gandhi Maidan, Congress leader Shri Rahul Gandhi accused the Modi government at the Centre of working for only “two-three super rich people” and neglecting Dalits and Backward Classes, who comprise 73 per cent of the population.

Congress President Shri Mallikarjun Kharge lambasted Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for his recent volte-face. Praising RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s son and political heir Tejashwi Yadav for creating employment opportunities on a large scale during his 17-month tenure as the Deputy Chief Minister, Shri Kharge said, “Your ‘chacha’ (referring to Nitish Kumar) has done a flip-flop. He may do so again. Do not accept him this time.”

Lalu also took a dig at Kumar, his arch rival, and said that he had always called him ‘palturam’ (turncoat). “The label has stuck to Kumar because of his own deeds,” Lalu said. He said Kumar would be shooed away if he again came to him after growing uncomfortable with the BJP.

Other Opposition leaders who addressed the rally, which was organised by the RJD, included Samajwadi Party President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and Left leaders like Sitaram Yechury, D Raja and Dipankar Bhattacharya and Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav.

Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, MP & Congress President addressed ‘Jan Vishwas Rally’ in Patna, Bihar:

Addressing the huge gathering, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge said that Shri Rahul Gandhi ji, Lalu Prasad Yadav ji, Rabri Devi ji, Akhilesh Yadav ji, Sitaram Yechury ji, D. Raja ji, Dipankar Bhattacharya Ji, KC Venugopal ji, Jagdanand Singh ji, Shakeel Ahmed Khan ji, Madan Mohan Jha ji, Tariq Anwar sahib and Kanhaiya ji were present in today’s ‘Jan Vishwas Maharally’... Just now you heard everyone’s speech and Tejashwi Yadav ji has called this ‘Jan Vishwas Maharally’ here. I thank him that today we are seeing such a big rally in this Gandhi Maidan.

I congratulate Tejashwi ji for organizing the ‘Jan Vishwas Yatra’ in Bihar, and I also thank you all for giving huge support to the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ which came out from Bihar under the leadership of Rahul ji.

First of all, I want to say this – Today Modi ji is busy ruining the country and Modi ji always says that ‘it is my guarantee’. Now he does not say BJP’s guarantee or his government’s guarantee, he always says Modi Ji’s guarantee. Let me tell you what is Modi Ji’s guarantee. Modi Ji’s guarantee is that he had said in 2014 that he will give two crore jobs to the youth every year, did he give... Did he give two crore jobs? (The public said- No) How does a Prime Minister lie? You are lying - Modi lies. Then he said that he will bring black money from outside and put Rs. 15 lakh each in everyone’s pocket. Did you get those Rs. 15 lakhs? (Public said - No)... Then is Modi a liar or are you a liar? (Public said – Modi) Modi is a liar. Then he said- I will build permanent houses for all the people by 2022. Are permanent houses built for everyone? (The public said – No) If not, then is Modi a liar or are people liars - Modi is a liar.

He had promised to double the income of farmers. Did he give a house to everyone, a permanent house? If he did not give it then he is a liar, that means Modi ji is the leader of liars. After that he promised to make Patna a smart city and cheated and in the last 10 years, Modi ji went around promoting these schemes but today no one got those benefits, still he says that he will eradicate unemployment. Prices have gone up so much, yet he says that I will make all people happy and prosperous!

In Modi Ji’s state, 25,000 people commit suicide in three years because there is no job, no food to eat, no work. Today in Modi’s state, 25,000 people have died or committed suicide in three years; 500 students have committed suicide, yet Modi says - this is Modi’s guarantee. Everyone knows what your guarantee is. Cheating everyone - this is your guarantee.

The second thing I would like to say is that he did not give the jobs he had promised, but Tejashwi fulfilled the promise he had made and he gave three lakh jobs to you people. So, let this be understood that the members of the ‘INDIA’ Alliance do whatever they say, this is an example of that.

Third thing – Today ‘INDIA’ Alliance is competing with BJP. It is competing with Modi. Unless you remove Modi, there will be no happiness and prosperity in this country, Democracy will not survive, the Constitution will not survive. If you want to save the Constitution, save Democracy, then all of you should remove Modi, remove BJP because this is the wish of every youth, every man. Therefore brothers, the first task, I appeal to our young friends – it is your job to save the Constitution of the country, to save Democracy, this is your job. I say one thing - whatever promises are being made today in this historic Patna, all the people who have come together here want to work strongly today.

This BJP is trying to scare using ED, Income Tax and Vigilance. BJP will do this work of intimidation, Modi will do it, but we are not going to be afraid, we are not going to bow down, no matter what. So, this is why there are so many cases against Lalu ji today... whenever he gets released, one case after another is filed, but he never bowed down before the government, he never took refuge before the government. But Tejashwi ji… his uncle went to seek patronage, your uncle went to the patronage and he is saying that after going out – I had gone out only for a few days. Nitish said this… What did Nitish say that he had gone out for a few days, I have come back again, I will stay at your feet only… this is what he said. But your uncle has gone to drink tea from his uncle, but tomorrow he will return after drinking that tea, then do not take him back. That’s why people who ideologically do not put all their strength on facts, don’t fight on the basis of facts, you should never accept those people and then we have to do it together.

Surely in 2024, we all together will win maximum seats and defeat BJP... this is what I talk about. I end my speech by saying one last couplet –‘Khoteysikkeuchhalterahiye, kaamapnanikaalterahiye’... this is what I am saying to Modi. Today I am speaking for Modi ji and our Tejashwi’s uncle who drifted away –

‘Khoteysikkeuchhaalterahiye, Kaamapnanikaalterahiye. Log seedhe hain jo, unheyun hi Jhooteyvaadon pe taalteyrahiye. Ye hain bacchebehel hi jaayenge, Aappaaniubaalteyrahiye. Maal jaisamiley mere ‘rehbar’, Apnijholimeindaalterahiye.

This is Modi’s, which he is putting in his bag. Now that uncle has also gone, he has gone to fill his bag. We have to fight... If we don’t fight, we won’t win. That is why I would appeal to all of you - fight strongly, we are here with you. Our entire team... whoever is sitting here, be it Akhilesh, Tejashwi ji, Rahul Gandhi ji and people from the entire Party are sitting here... we will get your rights by fighting with strongly... I conclude my statement with this.

Jai Hind (the crowd said – Jai Hind). Jai Hind (the crowd repeated – Jai Hind). Jai Hind (the crowd repeated yet again – Jai Hind). (The atmosphere resonated with the words- Jai Hind!)

Shri Rahul Gandhi, MP & former Congress President addressed ‘Jan Vishwas Rally’ in Patna, Bihar:

While addressing the huge public meeting, Shri Rahul Gandhi said - Kharge ji, Lalu ji, Rabri Devi ji, Akhilesh Yadav ji, Tejashwi ji, Sitaram Yechury ji, D. Raja ji, Dipankar ji, KC Venugopal ji, Akhilesh Prasad Singh ji, Tariq Anwar ji, Shakeel Khan ji, senior leaders of the alliance and dear workers of the alliance, brothers and sisters, our friends from the press... many are not here... a very warm welcome to all of you here, Namaskar.

Whenever there is a change in the country, the storm starts from Bihar. It is from here that the storm moves to the rest of the states. This Bihar is the nerve center of the country’s politics...it all starts from here. Today, there is a fight of ideology in the country. On one side stands - hatred, violence, ego and on the other side - love, brotherhood and respect for one another. Like I said during the yatra – If you want to understand the alliance, it can be understood in one line – ‘We open a shop of love in the market of hatred’. Why is hatred spreading in this country? This is not a country of hate. You all know that. There is no hatred in your hearts, in the hearts of the citizens of India, there is love and respect for one another. So, the question arises that why is hatred spreading in this country?

The biggest reason for hatred is ‘injustice’ in the country... injustice against the youth, injustice against all of you, injustice against farmers, social injustice, economic injustice. The Prime Minister works for only two-three big billionaires.... Their Rs. 16 lakh crores have been waived off by the Prime Minister in the last ten years. I want to ask you – how much loan did he waive off for the farmers of India? How much loan of Indian labourers was waived off? That’s why hatred is spreading in the country. India today has the highest unemployment in 40 years. Why... because BJP has destroyed small traders, farmers, small and medium business people. On one hand demonetization was done, on the other hand GST was implemented. As a resultant, the people who provide employment to this country... small business owners, small and medium business owners, all of them were out of work. Wherever you look, you see a monopoly of big industrialists. Narendra Modi ji has handed over all the ports, airports, infrastructure and defense industries of India to one industrialist.

There is nothing left for you people in this country. I want to ask you a question - how many people belonging to backward class are there in this country, what is the population of backward Class - 50 percent. What is the population of Dalits – 15 percent. What is the population of tribals – 8 percent. How much does it make brother –A good 73 percent.

Now look, take out the list of owners of the biggest companies of India, you will not find a single person from these 73 percent. After that, take out the list of media owners, take out the list of their big journalists, you are not going to find even one out of these 73 percent. After that, take out the list of the owners of private hospitals, those who run private schools and colleges, take out the list of private schools, private colleges, private universities, there you will not find anyone from these 73 percent. After that, list out the 90 IAS bureaucrats who run India, on the other side you will find three backward class people, three Dalits and one tribal and if the Indian government spends Rs. 100, if Rs. 100 is spent on the budget. If so, then the participation of these 73 percent becomes Rs. 6. So, this is 73 percent and if you want to add to it, then add the poor general caste people also, there is no way left for them in this country.

What used to happen earlier, earlier there was public sector. In that, the poor got a way, got a job, got employment in the government. Just like Tejashwi ji did in Bihar, like we did in Chhattisgarh, we are doing it in Karnataka, Telangana. But Narendra Modi ji has closed all these avenues.

You used to join the army, ‘Agniveer’ was implemented there. Now see, ‘Agniveer’ has been implemented and for the first time in ‘Agniveer’, there will be two types of martyrs in this country. One category of martyrs will get the status of martyr, he will get pension, he will get canteen facilities and he will get respect in the village and the city. The second one will be a martyr ‘Agniveer’, he will be a martyr, he will not get the status of a martyr, he will not get the facility of pension, he will not get the facility of canteen and he will not even get proper training. On one hand, Chinese soldiers and Pakistani soldiers take years of training and Narendra Modi ji is trying to make our youth stand before them after training them for six months. And so, the result is obvious.

I don’t want to say much. Because Lalu ji has to speak, but I just want to say that BJP people should not be under any sort of misunderstanding. We are not afraid of BJP or RSS. We don’t care. We fight for the country and we are ready to die for the country and we will form the government of ‘INDIA’ by removing BJP and RSS from here. Thank you very much to all of you. Namaskar, Jai Hind!