'Those Responsible For Godhra...': PM Narendra Modi Takes Aim At Lalu Prasad, 'Sonia Madam' For 'Appeasement Politics'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a rally in Darbhanga, Bihar, revisited the 2002 Godhra train arson incident and accused RJD president Lalu Prasad of shielding those accountable for the deaths of over 60 kar sevaks during the tenure of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi. PM Modi attributed this to what he termed as the opposition parties' practice of "appeasement politics".

"It is because of this appeasement politics that the father of Bihar's 'shehzada' (referring to Tejashwi Yadav) had tried to save those who were responsible for the Godhra train burning incident," PM Modi said, blaming "Sonia Madam" for it.

"After all, it was the rule of Sonia Madam," he said referring to the UPA Chairperson.

He criticised Lalu Prasad, who served as Railway minister at the time, accusing him of setting up an inquiry committee that produced a report absolving the guilty parties of the crime, a report later dismissed by the court.

"He, who has himself been convicted, was then the Railway minister. He set up an inquiry committee and got a report made which exonerated those guilty of the horrendous crime. But the court threw the report away," PM Modi said.

PM Modi went further to claim that the opposition, collectively referred to as the INDIA bloc, is endeavoring to reallocate reservations intended for SCs, STs, and tribals to Muslims, a move he asserted contradicts the principles of Babasaheb Ambedkar and Jawaharlal Nehru.

"The INDIA bloc is trying to divert reservations to Muslims. They are going against the views of Babasaheb Ambedkar and first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, neither of whom was in favour of reservations on religious lines," PM Modi said.

Criticising Tejashwi Yadav for introducing a "Hindu-Muslim narrative" in discussions about the Agnipath scheme, Modi questioned whether identities such as religion should be attached when honoring martyrs like Captain Hameed.

Furthermore, Modi referred to Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav as "shehzadas" (princes) in Delhi and Patna, respectively, insinuating a sense of entitlement to the country. He accused them of casting doubt on the integrity of the armed forces and questioning surgical strikes, which, according to Modi, exposes their mindset.