Sitamarhi, Bihar – Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a scathing attack on the Congress-Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) alliance during a rally in Bihar, accusing them of appeasing terrorists and prioritizing their vote bank over national security. Addressing a gathering in Sitamarhi district, Shah asserted that during the Congress-RJD regime, terrorists were treated with undue leniency, even alleging they were "treated with biryani," while security forces faced restrictions in their operations.

Shah's remarks came shortly after he laid the foundation stone for a ₹900 crore project to renovate "Punaura Dham," a shrine revered as the birthplace of Goddess Sita. He contrasted the alleged soft approach towards terrorism under previous governments with the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) firm stance under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The previous Congress governments were unable to contain terror. Terrorists would strike at will and return to their hideouts unharmed. But things changed with the BJP assuming power and Narendra Modi becoming the Prime Minister," Shah stated. He highlighted the Modi government's response to terror attacks, citing the surgical strikes after Uri and the Balakot airstrikes following Pulwama as examples of decisive action. He further claimed that the government "beat the perpetrators inside their homes when they dared to carry out the Pahalgam terror attack".

Shah also accused the RJD-Congress combine of attempting to protect "infiltrators from Bangladesh" for their vote bank by criticizing the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He questioned why Rahul Gandhi and Lalu Prasad Yadav had never criticised the SIR before, alleging their current opposition stems from a desire to shield their vote bank. "They are opposing it now. The reason is they want to protect their vote bank," the Home Minister said.

Furthermore, Shah criticised the RJD, accusing them of bringing lawlessness, corruption, and stagnation to Bihar during their rule. He revived memories of what the BJP refers to as "Jungle Raj," a term used to describe the RJD's tenure in power, suggesting that the state lost its dignity and direction during that period. Without naming Tejashwi Yadav, he cautioned the public that the past is attempting a comeback with a new face but with the same old dangers.

He contrasted the past with the present, crediting the Modi-Nitish Kumar government for improved law and order. He also pointed to longer polling hours in several areas of Bihar as a sign that the Naxal threat has been neutralized, underscoring the NDA's work on internal security. He positioned Prime Minister Modi and Nitish Kumar's leadership as the one that is restoring the lost dignity of Bihar.

In his address, Shah also highlighted the Modi government's investment in railway projects for Bihar, claiming that over ₹10,000 crore has been allocated in the last couple of years, a significant increase compared to the UPA regime when Lalu Prasad Yadav was the Railway Minister. He also emphasized Modi's respect for Bihar's cultural heritage, recalling instances of the Prime Minister gifting Madhubani paintings to foreign dignitaries.

The rally was also marked by the flagging off of an Amrit Bharat train connecting Sitamarhi to Delhi.