RJD, Cong have soft corner for infiltrators, dislike for Lord Ram because of vote bank, alleges PM
Araria (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday charged the opposition RJD-Congress combine in Bihar with having a soft corner for infiltrators, but "dislike" for Lord Ram and 'Chhathi Maiya' because of vote bank politics.
Addressing a rally in Araria district, Modi also alleged that the reluctance of opposition leaders to visit Ayodhya to have 'darshan' of shrines dedicated to Nishad Raj, Mata Shabri and Maharshi Valmiki was indicative of their "hatred" for Dalits and backward classes.
"Bihar saw zero development during the 15 years of 'jungle raj'. No highways and bridges were built, nor any centres of higher learning were set up. The NDA under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has worked very hard to bring the state out of that era," he said.
"Today, Bihar has so many expressways, bridges over rivers, as many as four central universities and other centres of higher learning. Only the NDA can ensure that this journey towards growth continues uninterrupted," he added.
Modi said the NDA faces a big challenge on this journey of growth, which is the menace of infiltration.
"The NDA is committed to driving out each and every infiltrator from the country. But the Congress-RJD offer them protection, take out political yatras in their favour and come up with misleading narratives," alleged the PM in an indirect reference to Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' and allegations of "vote theft".
"Whenever the RJD-Congress achieve power, they try to give back-door entry to infiltrators. They do so because of vote bank politics. But this takes a toll on the people of this country. The infiltrators claim a share in all that belongs to the citizens," he added.
Modi also said vote bank politics has filled the opposition leaders with contempt for traditions.
"The naamdaar of Congress (Gandhi) called the devotion to Chhathi Maiya a drama. They never visit Ayodhya to have a darshan of Lord Sri Ram," he said.
"I understand their dislike for Lord Ram. But they can at least pay obeisance at the shrines dedicated to Nishad Raj, Shabri Mata and Maharshi Valmiki. Their reluctance to do so only indicates their hatred for Dalits and backward classes," he alleged.
The PM, who spoke for nearly 40 minutes, began his speech with a reference to voting that was underway in 121 out of 243 assembly segments in the first phase of elections.
"I have seen wonderful pictures of voters turning up in large numbers at polling booths. The enthusiasm is visible among the young and the old alike. I urge all those who may not have cast their votes till now to do so at the earliest," he said.
"You must realise the power that your one vote holds. Your ancestors had cast one vote each to usher in social justice in Bihar. Then it was again through the power of the same one vote, that 'jungle raj', which afflicted the state for 15 years, ruining the lives of an entire generation, was driven out," he said.
Modi reiterated that 'katta' (country-made weapons), 'kroorta' (cruelty), 'katuta' (bitterness), 'kushasan' (misgovernance) and corruption were the hallmarks of the 15-year-long 'jungle raj'.
"The 'jungle raj wallahs' (leaders of lawlessness) used to lord over you, their swagger indicative of an attitude that revealed their mindset of considering themselves the masters of the people. Modi believes in a different set of values. He considers the people as his masters (mai-baap), as his own family," he said.
The PM also claimed that infighting was on between the Congress and the RJD, and "after elections, all these INDI Alliance partners will be seen breaking each other's heads".
"The fight between the RJD and Congress has reached such a level that now their deputy CM candidate is speaking up against 'jungle raj'," he said.
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Ramadan, Lent coincide this year, happens once in three decades: How it happens, when it will occur
This year, Ramadan and Lent are reportedly being observed during the same period, a calendar overlap that happens only once in roughly 30 to 33 years.
According to a post by ‘That Dubai Page’ on Instagram both are important periods of fasting in Islam and Christianity respectively, but they follow different calendars, which is why their dates usually do not align.
What is Lent?
Lent is a 40-day period in the Christian liturgical calendar observed before Easter.
It is marked by fasting, prayer, repentance and self-examination.
The duration of 40 days reflects the time Jesus is believed to have fasted in the wilderness. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends before Easter Sunday, and the feast mass is celebrated on Saturday.
The exact dates change every year because they are linked to Easter, which is calculated based on the Christian liturgical calendar.
What is Ramadan?
Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer and spiritual discipline. From dawn to sunset each day, adult and able-bodied Muslims abstain from food and drink. The fast is broken at sunset.
Unlike Lent, Ramadan does not follow the Gregorian calendar.
According to admiddleeast.com , Ramadan depends on the sighting of the new crescent moon, known as the hilāl, which signals the start of the new lunar month.
Religious committees in many Muslim-majority countries meet after sunset on the 29th day of the preceding month, Sha‘ban, to look for the moon.
If it is sighted, Ramadan begins the next day. If not, Sha‘ban is completed as a 30-day month and Ramadan starts after that.
While Saudi Arabias announcement is widely followed, each country makes its own official declaration.
Why dont they always overlap?
The Islamic lunar calendar has around 354 days, which is about 10 to 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar.
Because of this difference, Ramadan shifts earlier by about 10 or 11 days each year. Over time, it moves through all seasons.
Lent, on the other hand, is tied to Easter and the Christian liturgical calendar. Since the two religious observances are based on different systems for calculating dates, they rarely fall at the same time.
How often does the overlap happen?
The overlap happens in cycles of approximately 30 to 33 years. When it happens, Ramadan and Lent may coincide for a few consecutive years. After that, they do not align again for decades.
Following the current cycle, major overlaps are not expected again until the 2050s.
