Patna, Nov 8 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday accused the Grand Alliance of pushing the land of Satyagraha, Champaran, into the den of thugs and dacoits. 

Addressing a rally in Bettiah, headquarters of West Champaran district, he said, "Bettiah and Champaran have witnessed the most terrifying form of the RJD and Congress jungle raj. Those who perpetrated this jungle raj turned this sacred land of Satyagraha into a den of thugs and dacoits. Murders were common, and it was difficult for sisters and daughters to even step out of their homes."

PM Modi argued that when the rule of law collapses, the weakest suffer first.

"Where the rule of law ends, the poor, deprived and oppressed suffer the most. Where guns and extortion prevail, the dreams of young people are crushed. Where hooliganism reigns, businesses are ruined and trade and commerce come to a standstill," he said.

Drawing a comparison between the Lalu Prasad Yadav and Nitish Kumar regimes, he said that under the NDA and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar witnessed good governance, while during the RJD era, people used to live in constant fear.

"You have seen peace under Nitish Kumar's leadership. Now it is our collective responsibility to protect Bihar from jungle raj," he said.

PM Modi claimed that "an RJD rally shared a video, in which a media person asks a child why he came to the rally of the 'lantern' party. And the child says he wants to become a rangdaar."

PM Modi said Bihar had defined the idea of social justice for the nation, but must now lead in development.

"Bihar will become a new example of a prosperous, developed India. Today I have come to Bettiah, to Champaran, to seek your blessings for my colleagues. The day is not far when Bihar will be known as a powerhouse of food processing, tourism, textiles and technology," PM Modi said.

He said a record number of people had turned out for NDA rallies and claimed that polling trends showed widespread support across social groups.

"Throughout my election campaign, I have seen that one rally broke the record of the previous one; one record after another was broken. In the first phase of voting, you have broken all records since Independence. In Bihar, the youth, women, poor brothers and sisters, the middle class and farmers have taken charge of the election campaign in support of the NDA," he said.

He added that the election was being fought by the people themselves.

"I can say that this election is not being fought by any NDA leader, but by the people of Bihar. We don't want a corrupt government, we want the NDA government once again," he said.

PM Modi said Bettiah was his concluding rally in this Bihar election campaign.

"I started my campaign after seeking blessings at the birthplace of Bharat Ratna Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur. And today, this is my last public meeting of this election campaign here in Champaran, the land of Bapu's Satyagraha. This land of Champaran Satyagraha is a land of resolve," PM Modi said.

He added that Champaran's role was significant in the development journey the NDA was projecting.

"As we embark on the path to a developed Bihar, the role of Champaran is once again very important. This massive crowd in Bettiah reflects the mood of Champaran," he said.

--IANS