NEW DELHI: The Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) on Friday put up posters outside its office in Patna, targeting the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the ‘Saugat-e-Modi‘ initiative amid BJP-led government’s policies, particularly the Waqf Bill and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The poster featured a cartoonish depiction of PM Modi with four hands, each carrying a label—Waqf Bill, NRC, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, and Masjid. It also portrayed Union minister Chirag Paswan and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, with the words “Waqf Board” and “NRC” written on their hands, respectively.
Criticising the NDA government and its allies, RJD linked the poster to the BJP’s ‘Saugat-e-Modi’ initiative. The text on the poster read, “Aankh chin kar chashma dene wale log, rakh lo apne paas yeh Saugat-e-Mohabbat,” meaning, “Those who take away eyesight and offer glasses, keep this gift of love to yourselves.”
The poster further called for the rollback of the Waqf Bill and urged the government to foster unity instead of division.
It stated, “If you want to offer a gift, take back the Waqf Bill. If you wish to distribute something on Eid, spread love, not division among people. If you want to give something, offer a place in your heart—but we know this isn’t possible, because your shop of hatred will shut down.” (Saugat dena hai to Waqf Bill wapas le lo; Eid par kuch baantna hai to mohabbat baato, aapas mein logon ko nahi; Dena hai to dil mein jagah do, magar pata hai ye sab aapse na ho paayega, kyunki aapki nafrat ki dukaan phir band ho jayegi.)
It concluded with the lines, “Dil ke andar kya hai? Dil ke bahar kya hai? Yeh sab kuch pehchaanti hai, yeh public hai sab kuch jaanti hai,” which translates to, “What’s inside the heart? What’s outside the heart? The people recognise everything—they know it all.”
Saugat-e-Modi: BJP’s outreach initiative for minorities
The Saugat-e-Modi campaign is an outreach initiative by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) aimed at distributing special kits to underprivileged Muslims and other minorities during festive seasons. Spearheaded by the party’s Minority Morcha, the initiative is set to begin from Nizamuddin, Delhi, ahead of Eid 2025, with a plan to reach 32 lakh beneficiaries across India.
As part of the programme, 32,000 Minority Morcha workers will collaborate with 32,000 mosques nationwide to distribute kits containing essential food items, dry fruits, sugar, and clothing. Each kit, valued between Rs 500 and Rs 600, will provide fabric for suits for women and kurta-pyjamas for men.
The initiative has sparked political debate, with the opposition dismissing it as a pre-election gimmick, particularly targeting Muslim voters in Bihar. Congress leader Ranjeet Rajan and Shiv Sena (UBT)’s Aaditya Thackeray have criticised the move, while BJP allies like Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi have backed the initiative, calling it an extension of PM Modi’s ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ vision.
