Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a 15-foot-tall statue of well known socialist icon Jayaprakash Narayan in Bihar. Addressing a gathering in Saran district to mark the politician’s 120th birth anniversary the senior BJP leader also lashed out at the Congress and former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He also took a veiled jab at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, alluding to ‘people who switch sides for power’ and hold the post of CM.
“I ask people of Bihar…leaders who achieved heights through JP movement are sitting in Congress’ lap for power…are you with them? JP never did anything for power and worked for principles all his life. Today, people who switch sides for power are Chief Minister of Bihar,” Shah said.
This was incidentally Shah’s second visit to Bihar after the BJP was ousted from power in the state. Earlier, he visited Purnea and Kishanganj in the Seemanchal region on September 23.
“The biggest contribution of #JayprakashNarayan was when he started a massive agitation against corruption and against a government drunk in power that imposed Emergency in the 70s. In 1973, under Indira ji’s leadership, Gujarat had a Congress government with Chiman Patel as CM. Indira ji publicly gave task of collecting money to governments…corruption started. Students in Gujarat protested and this agitation was led by Jayprakash Narayan. It changed the government in Gujarat,” the Home Minister said in Sitab Diara today.
“He then started a movement in Bihar. Seeing this movement, the rally at Gandhi Maidan in Bihar, Indira Gandhi was perturbed. PM of the nation was forced to impose Emergency in the country and put Jayprakash Narayan in jail,” he added.
