Ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose Purunea in the Seemanchal region of the state for his rally and the inauguration of the development work. The choice of the region is crucial as it is dominated by Opposition parties.
He stated that Opposition parties pose a threat not only to Bihar’s dignity but also to its identity. Modi highlighted the grave demographic crisis emerging in Seemanchal and Eastern India due to illegal infiltrators.
“Every infiltrator must be removed and sealing infiltration is a firm responsibility of our government. Those leaders defending the infiltrators should come forward. No matter how hard they try to protect infiltrators, the government will continue working with resolve to remove them,” Modi said, warning that those acting as shields for infiltrators that “Indian law will prevail and not the whims of illegal entrants.”
PM said that people in Bihar, Bengal, and Assam were increasingly worried about the safety of their sisters and daughters. Recalling the announcement of ‘Demography Mission’ from the Red Fort in his Independence Day speech, Modi said it will help address this issue.
Prime minister, say centralised the issue of demographic change and alleged infiltrators, especially in the Seemanchal region that borders West Bengal. This seeks to push the Opposition, particularly the Rashtriya Janata Dal, which relies on the Muslim-Yadav combination, into a corner.
Assaduddin Owaisi-led AIMIM had won five seats in this region last time, but later four MLAs joined the RJD. The BJP has been arguing about the polarisation along religious lines in the region, which it says was detrimental to the region’s development. If the sentiment catches on, the counter-polarisation can help the BJP-led NDA alliance for better performance in not just this region but across the state. Even the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise for revision of the voters list was done with an aim to “weed out outsiders and infiltrators.”
PM assured that this is his guarantee: action will be taken against infiltrators, and the country will witness the results. He also blamed the Opposition alliance and its ecosystem for defending infiltrators and attempting to shield them for “vote bank politics.” Modi asserted that these groups would jeopardize both the resources and security of Bihar and the nation.
Modi’s message was also to acknowledge the role of women of Bihar, its “mothers and sisters,” who had kept the Opposition out of power for 20 years.
Modi said under earlier regimes, women were the primary victims of rampant crimes such as murder, rape, and extortion. By contrast, he emphasised that under the present Union and state governments, women are emerging as “Lakhpati Didis” and “Drone Didis,” spearheading a socio-economic transformation through self-help groups. He highlighted the success of the Jeevika Didi campaign under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, and announced the release of Rs 500 crore as Community Investment Funds for women’s federations.
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Beyond the security and identity narrative, Modi’s address in Purnea also underscored development as a central plank of the government’s Bihar strategy. He inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth nearly Rs 40,000 crore, spanning railways, aviation, housing, irrigation, and power. Purnea Airport was declared operational, placing the Seemanchal region on India’s aviation map. New rail projects, including Vande Bharat and Amrit Bharat trains, were flagged off to strengthen regional connectivity. The prime minister also announced the establishment of the National Makhana Board, a long-standing demand in Bihar, supported by a Rs 475 crore package aimed at boosting cultivation, technology use, and farmer incomes.
Modi cited the construction of over 4 crore homes nationally and assured that three crore more would be built, emphasising that no poor family would remain without a pucca house. Linking the delivery of new homes to the festive season of Diwali and Chhath, and reduction in GST on essential household and education-related items from September 22, a measure timed to provide immediate relief to families during the festive period.
