Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India is today strong enough to “enter homes and inflict punishment” unlike the days of the Congress rule when it was known as a “weak and poor” country, where terrorist attacks could take place from a neighbour which does not even have enough wheat flour for its people.

Addressing a massive election rally in Jamui in Bihar, Modi said he decided the situation during Congress rule could not continue like this. The Congress used to take the issue of terrorist attacks to other countries, but he ensured India delivered an effective response, asserting the glory of India’s past, a land of Pataliputra and Magadh, and of mighty emperor Chandragupta Maurya.

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The Prime Minister said today’s India shows the way to the world. In 10 years of the NDA rule, the world has seen how India’s standing and goodwill has gone up. India is today the fifth largest economy in the world. India landed its Chandrayaan and the Tricolor at a place on the Moon where none had reached earlier.

He said the world talked about the way India organised the G20 conference. He said the achievements were made not by him, but by the one vote cast by the people. If there is anyone who deserves credit for this, it is the citizens of the country who elected a government which could deliver, he said.

He said Bihar’s development is evidence of India’s development. This can be seen in Jamui. Jamui passed through bad days during the government of RJD and Congress. During RJD’s jungle raj, the place was identified with naxalism and government schemes were not allowed to be implemented there. Naxals did not allow construction of roads. This meant loss for the poor.

The same Jamui is today on the fast path of development, he said and naxalism is nearly dead; its followers having joined the mainstream. The place will see an expressway and a medical college. Airport services will be introduced soon. Rs 1 lakh crore is being spent on roads in the State. This will create opportunities for jobs and self-employment, Mr Modi said.

Recalling the RJD’s “land for jobs” scam, the PM said none can forget how the poor and educated were deprived of their lands for jobs in the railways. No such complaint came up against Mr Nitish Kumar when he was Railway Minister, he said, and the RJD people deprived people of their lands. Such people can never think of welfare of the people, he said.

During the “ghamandia” coalition of INDI alliance partners, trains were in a bad shape, he said. Now Vande Bharat trains are running in Bihar, like the rest of the country. Soon they will be on all routes across the country. The Jamui railway station is also being upgraded. A day is not far when major railway stations in Bihar will have airport-like facilities, he said.

He said Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) leader Chirag Paswan and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary had spoken about the work done under the NDA government. But Modi would say the work done in the last 10 years was just a trailer, and a lot more will be achieved in the years to come.

Mr Modi said the massive crowds at Jamui meeting showed the mood of the country, it looked more like a meeting to celebrate victory and not just an election meeting. The gathering showed the mood of the people not just in Bihar, but the whole country. “You have shown your determination to put all 40 seats of Bihar with BJP and the NDA, and not just Jamui, Munger, Banka, Nawada,” he said. All of Bihar is saying NDA government once again, he said.

For the first time in an election meeting, he said, he was missing Bihar’s illustrious son, a favourite of Dalits and the deprived people, Padma Vibushan-decorated and his friend Ram Vilas Paswan. “I am sure his son Chirag is filling the gap created by his father’s departure,” the Prime Minister said.