PATNA, Nov 2: BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi today met the families of six persons killed in serial bomb blasts at his Sunday rally to offer his condolences and said he stood by them in this hour of grief.
Modi assured the family members all help from the party during his visit to their homes in four different districts of Bihar including Nalanda, which is the home district of Chief Minister and his bete noire Nitish Kumar.
The visit of the Gujarat Chief Minister was marked by tight security after the state government came under attack from BJP over alleged security lapses at his rally that was rocked by serial explosions before he began his address.
Referring to the blast victims as ‘shaheed’ (martyr), Modi tweeted at the end of his visit, “We are all a part of one family and stand by them in this hour of grief.”
Modi, whose visit was delayed by more than two hours this morning due to fog, handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh on behalf of BJP to each of the victim’s families he met. The amount is equal to that announced by Nitish Kumar for the kin of victims at his press meet soon after the blast.
Modi first headed for Gaurichak in old Patna locality to offer his condolences to the kin of 65-year-old Azeemchak resident Raj Narain Singh.
He garlanded the photograph of Singh, sat on the floor as he consoled the family and handed them the cheque.
Modi also hailed the people of Bihar for showing patience despite the serial bomb blasts and compared it to the strong resistance shown by freedom fighters against British rule.
“By standing firm amid explosions and firing, people of Bihar showed eternal patience on the rally day,” he said and compared it to the strong resistance shown by freedom fighters against British rule.
“We see in films how Britishers used to trample the people under feet of horses and mounted police rained blows with batons on them, but the people stood the ground showing great patience,” he told newsmen outside the VIP lounge of Jayprakash Narayan airport at the end of his tour.
“People stood in the rally ground with their heart … This showed that people’s determination is strong (to oust the UPA government at the Centre and Nitish Kumar in the state).”
Modi also said there will be light after darkness.
He had to shorten his visit due to bad weather which led to low visibility. It forced him to cancel his visit to Gopalganj and Supual. He visited families of victims at Gaurichak in Patna district, Nishijha in Kaimur, Bariyarpur in Begusarai and finally Ahiyapur in Nalanda.
“I will try to make trip to these two places (Gopalgunj and Supual) in future,” Modi said and talked to the families of blast victims there over the phone.
Modi’s second trip to Bihar within a week was marked by unprecedented security arrangements. In addition to Bihar Police over 150 police personnel, including one officer of additional director general of police rank from Gujarat were here to ensure trouble-free journey of the Gujarat CM.
He was extended the hospitality of ‘state guest’ by the Bihar government and stayed at the ‘Raj Athithishala’ which is across the road to
Nitish Kumar’s official residence at 1 Anne Marg.
Tight security net was thrown at the airport too and mediapersons were allowed to enter its gates after being frisked at several places.
Raj Narain Singh, whose home was the first to be visited by Modi, had gone to attend the BJP prime ministerial’s rally without informing his family.
Party sources said that the family sought a job for one of the three sons of Singh and Modi assured them he would look into it.Singh’s other two sons are in the Army.
“Modi consoled Singh’s widow. The family was assured that the party will take care of them and and they were satisfied that Modi had come to meet them,” BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad said.
After staying there for nearly five minutes, Modi left for Nishijha village in Kaimur district where he visited another blast victim Vikash Singh’s family.
He assured the widow of the 28-year-old blast victim that he would bear the expenses of her children’s education whether he becomes the prime minister or not.
Modi’s next destination was Mirganj in Gopalganj whose resident
Munna Shrivastava had died in explosions.
He, however, could not land there due to bad weather and returned to Patna.
Later he spoke to Shrivastava’s widow over phone and assured her that he would look after her daughter.
Modi had to cancel his visit to Supual, where he was to meet the kin of Bharat Rajak, due to the heavy fog and went instead to Bariyarpur in Begusarai in his helicopter to meet the family of another victim Bindeshwari Chaudhary and gave a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to them.
His last port of call was Ahiyapur in Nalanda district to meet the family of Rajesh Kumar. Nalanda is the home district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. (PTI)
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