Standing Behind Bulletproof Glass In Bihar, Yogi Adityanath Makes A Point

Patna: On his first visit to Bihar after taking charge of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a blistering attack on the Nitish Kumar government at a rally in Darbhanga district to celebrate the Narendra Modi government's three years at the centre. In his speech, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister dared Nitish Kumar to ban illegal slaughter houses, questioned his silence on triple talaq, called his alliance with RJD's Lalu Prasad as "unnatural" and showcased his success in establishing, what he referred to as the rule of law back home in less than three months of coming to power in March.

It wasn't clear if the Bihar police had installed the shield or the UP Chief Minister's security detail had insisted on it. But apart from protecting the saffron-clad monk from missiles, it also did help deliver a political message; about the law and order situation in Bihar.

"There is rule of law in Uttar Pradesh... my government will not allow anyone to break law...it is the government's duty to guarantee security of all and the law will deal firmly with those violating rules," he said, standing behind a bullet-proof glass about 125 km northeast of state capital Patna.

Yogi Adityanath, 45, whose speech touched upon emotive issues like triple talaq, Ayodhya temple and illegal slaughter houses, also hit back at his detractors for painting him as "anti-Muslim" and expressing fear about the future of the minority community after he took charge in March this year.

"You (Nitish Kumar) have not spoken a word on triple talaq - a raging issue affecting Muslim women in the country and is being dealt by the judiciary. Why are secular leaders silent on the issue? Why do you want to deprive dignified life to these women?" he asked, accusing the so-called secular leaders for "duplicity in public life".

Bihar Chief Minister Kumar, who was in Darbhanga on Wednesday, had dismissed the hype around Yogi Adityanath's visit and wondered if he was going to come empty-handed or have projects that would improve the life of people in the district. Mr Kumar had launched projects worth Rs 300 crore in the district on Wednesday.

But Yogi Adityanath signalled that the ruling Janata Dal (United)-RJD alliance could not brush him away.

The UP Chief Minister said this was his first visit to Bihar after assuming power but he was going to be back, again and again, and travel to every district of the state before the 2020 assembly elections. "The change of guard in Bihar is necessary for integrated development of the country," he said and appealed to the youths to be the catalyst for change in the state.

(With inputs from PTI)