PM’s address at Viksit Bharat-Viksit Bihar programme in Bettiah, Bihar
Speaker: Narendra Modi
Date: 06 Mar, 2024

I greet everybody from the land of Maharshi Valmiki, the birthplace of Mother Sita and Luv-Kush! Governor Shri Rajendra Arlekar ji, my colleague in the cabinet Nityanand Rai ji, Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha ji and Samrat Chaudhary ji, ministers in the state government, senior leaders Vijay Kumar Chaudhary ji and Santosh Kumar Suman ji, MPs Sanjay Jaiswal ji, Radha Mohan ji, Sunil Kumar ji, Rama Devi ji and Satish Chandra Dubey ji, all other esteemed dignitaries, and my dear brothers and sisters of Bihar! This is the land that breathed new life into the struggle for Bharat’s independence, spreading a new consciousness. It was this very land that transformed Mohandas ji into Mahatma Gandhi. For the resolution of ‘Viksit Bihar Se Viksit Bharat’ (Developed Bihar to Developed India), can there be a better place than Bettiah, can there be a better place than Champaran? And today, you have come here in such large numbers to bless all our colleagues in the NDA. Today, thousands of people have joined this program for ‘Viksit Bharat’ resolution from different assembly constituencies as well as from Lok Sabha constituencies of Bihar. I greet all the people of Bihar. I also ask for your forgiveness for arriving late. I was in Bengal, and the enthusiasm in Bengal these days is quite different. There was a 12-kilometer-long road show. I was trying hard to save time, but still got late. I apologize to all of you for the inconvenience caused to you. Friends, Bihar is a land that has led the nation for centuries and given Ma Bharti several talented personalities. And it’s a fact, whenever Bihar has prospered, Bharat has prospered. Therefore, it’s equally important for Bihar to develop for ‘Viksit Bharat’. I am pleased to note that there has been further acceleration in the development-related activities in Bihar following the return of the double engine government. Today, Bihar has got gifts of nearly 13,000 crores rupees worth of schemes. These include projects related to rails, roads, ethanol plants, city gas supply, LPG gas, along with several other important projects. We need to maintain this momentum and continue at this pace for a ‘Viksit Bharat’. Congratulations to all of you for these projects. Friends, With the exodus of its youth, Bihar faced a significant challenge in the decades following independence. When Jungle Raj emerged in Bihar, this exodus picked up even more pace. Those who brought about Jungle Raj were only concerned about their own families, putting the future of millions of children in Bihar at stake. My young friends from Bihar kept going to other cities in other states in search of livelihood, while only one family thrived here. Lands were grabbed in exchange for a mere job. Can anyone forgive those who looted the common man in such a manner? Can they be forgiven? Can such people be forgiven? The family responsible for bringing Jungle Raj to Bihar is the biggest culprit of Bihar’s youth. The family which was responsible for Jungle Raj has snatched the fate of millions of youths in Bihar. It’s the NDA government that has brought Bihar so far by rescuing it from this Jungle Raj. Friends, The NDA’s double engine government is making efforts to ensure that the youth of Bihar finds employment right here in Bihar. This is the underlying spirit behind the inauguration and foundation stones of projects worth thousands of crores that has been laid today. After all, who are the biggest beneficiaries of these projects? The biggest beneficiaries will be those young people who are seeking employment and studying in schools and colleges. Today, the foundation stone has been laid for the 6-lane cable-stayed bridge over the Ganga. Work is underway on more than a dozen bridges in Bihar worth over 22,000 crores, with five of them being constructed over the Ganga. These bridges and wide roads pave the way for development and establishment of industries. For whom are these trains running on electricity or modern trains like Vande Bharat? It’s also for those young people whose parents had dreamt of such facilities. This infrastructure being built is a significant means of employment. It creates jobs for labourers, drivers, service-related personnel, engineers, and many other sectors. In other words, the thousands of crores of rupees that the government is investing will ultimately reach ordinary families in Bihar. This will boost industries like sand, stone, bricks, cement and steel, and benefit factories and small shops alike. Friends, All the new trains that are running or the tracks being laid are ‘Made in India’. This means that even the people of Bharat are getting employment through these initiatives. Modern factories manufacturing railway engines have also been established by the NDA government in Bihar. Today, there is much talk about Digital India all over the world. And may I tell you one more thing? Today, there are many developed countries that do not have such a digital system which is available in places like Bettiah and Champaran. When foreign leaders meet me, they ask me, ‘Modi ji, how did you accomplish all this so quickly?’ I tell them that it’s not Modi who did this, but the youth of Bharat. Modi has only given the guarantee to stand by every youth of Bharat at every step. And today, I am also giving this guarantee of ‘Viksit Bharat’ to the youth of Bihar. And all of you know when Modi gives a guarantee, it means the guarantee is fulfilled. Friends, On one hand, a new Bharat is being built, while on the other hand, the RJD, Congress, and their INDI alliance are still living in the 20th century. The NDA government is saying that we want to turn every home into a solar home. We want every home to have a solar plant on its roof. This way, that home can also earn and get electricity for free. But the INDI alliance is still relying on the light of the lantern. As long as the rule of the lantern prevailed in Bihar, only one family’s poverty was alleviated, only one family prospered. Friends, Today, when Modi speaks the truth, they hurl abuses at him. The biggest issue with the INDI alliance, which is a grouping of corrupt individuals, is that Modi does not have a family. They say that the dynastic leaders of the INDI alliance should be given a license to loot. Should they be given a license to loot? Should they? Today, if Bharat Ratna Karpoori Thakur were alive, they would also ask him the same question they’re asking Modi. Supporters of dynasty and corruption would have put revered Bapu, JP, Lohia, Baba Saheb Ambedkar also in the dock. These leaders didn’t promote their own families but dedicated their lives for every family in the country. Friends, Today, in front of you stands a person who left home at a very young age. Any person from Bihar may live in any state, but they always return home for Chhath Puja and Diwali. But Modi, who left home in childhood… Which home do I return to…? For me, the entire Bharat is my home, every Indian is my family. That’s why today every Indian is saying, every poor person, every youth is saying — ‘I am Modi’s family! I am Modi’s family! We are Modi’s family!’ Friends, I want to alleviate every worry of the poor. That’s why Modi is providing free ration and healthcare to the poorest families. I want to reduce the difficulties in the lives of women. That’s why Modi is providing pucca houses in the name of women, providing toilets, electricity, gas connections, and piped water supply. I want a better future for the youth of my country. That’s why Modi is building a record number of medical colleges, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, and modern educational institutions for the future of my youth. I want the income of our farmers to increase and empower them. That’s why Modi is turning our farmers into energy and fertilizer providers. Today, ethanol plants are being set up across the country, including Bihar. The effort is to ensure that not only do vehicles run on the produce of sugarcane and rice farmers, but also that their earnings increase. The NDA government recently raised the price of sugarcane to Rs. 340 per quintal. Just a few days ago, the NDA government launched the world’s largest grain warehousing scheme. Under this, thousands of warehouses will be built across the country, including in Bihar. To make life easier for small farming families in Bihar, they have also been given assistance worth thousands of crores under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Here in Bettiah alone, farmers have received nearly Rs. 800 crores under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. And let me give you an example of what these ‘dynasts’ have done with you. The fertilizer factory in Barauni was closed for a long time. These dynasts never cared about it. Modi had given a guarantee to farmers and labourers that it would be restarted. Today, this fertilizer factory is serving again and providing employment to the youth. That’s why people say — Modi’s guarantee means fulfilment of guarantee. Friends, Those associated with the INDI alliance know that they have nowhere to go after elections. Sensing their impending defeat, even Lord Ram has become the target of the INDI alliance. One feels the presence of Mother Sita and Luv-Kush in Bettiah. The people of Bihar are watching the way the INDI alliance people are speaking against Lord Shri Ram and the Ram temple. And the people of Bihar are also taking note of the people who are supporting those who are insulting Lord Shri Ram. These are the dynasts who kept Ram Lalla in tents for decades. These are the dynasts who made desperate attempts against the construction of the Ram temple. Today, as Bharat honours its heritage and culture, these people are having problems even with that. Friends, This region is nature-loving, belonging to the Tharu community. The lifestyle of progress with nature in the Tharu society is a lesson for all of us. If Bharat is progressing while conserving nature today, then the inspiration behind it has communities like Tharu. That’s why I say we need everyone’s effort, everyone’s inspiration, and everyone’s learning for developing ‘Viksit Bharat’. But for this to happen, it is essential for the NDA government to cross 400 (seats). Is it or not? How much? 400… How much? 400… To make the country the third-largest economy – NDA beyond 400 (seats)! To lift people from poverty – NDA beyond 400 (seats)! To provide new job opportunities for the youth – NDA beyond 400 (seats)! To provide pucca homes for the poor – NDA… beyond 400 (seats)! For installing solar panels in one crore homes – NDA beyond 400 (seats)! To create three crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ — NDA beyond 400 (seats)! To operate Vande Bharat trains in every corner of the country – NDA beyond 400 (seats)! For ‘Viksit Bharat-Viksit Bihar’ – NDA… beyond 400 (seats)! Once again, I am very thankful to all of you. Say it with me – Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Raise both your hands and speak with full strength — Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Bharat Mata ki—Jai! Thank you very much!