Narendra Modi calls Patna blasts victims `shaheed`, offers condolences to families

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Narendra Modi will Saturday visit the homes of the six people who died in the serial blasts in Patna, ahead of a rally that he addressed at Patna`s Gandhi Maidan on October 27.

Zee Media Bureau 3: 56 pm: Modi wishes the people of Bihar happy Diwali and extends greetings for Chhath Puja 3: 55 pm: Modi says, in BJP`s historic ‘Hunkar’ rally terrorists attacked and many innocents people lost their lives. However, the courage that Bihar people showed in the October 27 rally when the bombs went off is unheard off. Modi thanks the Bihar people for maintaining calm at Gandhi Maidan. 3: 53 pm: I came to offer condolences to the families of who lost their dear ones in the Patna serial blasts, says Modi 3: 52 pm: Was not able to visit the two families due to bad weather, will try to meet them in fuure - Modi 3: 51 pm: I felt like meeting the family of the deceased and that is why I am here, says Modi 3: 50 pm: Modi addresses media 3: 00 pm: Modi in Nalanda, pays tribute to blast victim BJP leader Narendra Modi pays tribute to Patna blast victim Rajesh Kumar in Bihar`s Nalanda district. Modi meets family members of Rajesh Kumar and offers condolences. 2: 30 pm: Modi playing vote bank politics: Cong Commenting on Modi’ Bihar visit, Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and Planning, Rajiv Shukla accused the BJP leader of indulging in vote bank politics and said that all this is being done for political gains. 2: 00 pm: Modi speaks with deceased Bharat Rajak’s son Bharat Rajak, who hails from Supal district, died in Patna serial bomb blasts. Sharing his experience after speaking with Rajak’s son, Modi tweeted: “Spoke to Shankar, the son of Shaheed Bharat Rajak over telephone. People from his village shared a very touching anecdote.” “Shaheed Bharat Rajak had a pet pigeon who would stay next to his bed. Bharat would not begin his day without feeding grain to the pigeon.” “Pigeon refused to leave dead body of Bharat & travelled with the body till the funeral. Even now the pigeon stays around Bharat`s room,” another tweet said. 1: 45 pm: We are a part of one family: Modi BJP leader Narendra Modi tweets: “Spoke to wife of Shaheed Munna Srivastava on phone. We are all a part of one family & stand by them in this hour of grief.” 1: 00 pm: Modi calls Patna blasts victim’s wife BJP leader Narendra Modi called Patna blasts victim Munna Shrivastav’s wife and said that he wanted to visit the family but due to bad weather the helicopter couldn`t land at Gopal Ganj. He told the deceased’s wife that Munna’s sacrifice will not go waste and offered deepest condolences to the family. Consoling the aggrieved lady, Modi said, “Your daughter is like my daughter, will take care of her.” 12: 30 pm: Modi skips Gopal Ganj Due to bad weather Narendra Modi’s chopper was not able to land at Gopal Ganj. Modi is heading back to Patna and from there he will head towards other districts to meet the remaining blast victims’ families. 11: 25 am: Modi leaves for Gopal Ganj After meeting blast victim’s family in Kaimur Modi left for Gopal Ganj, where he will meet Munna Shrivastav’s family. After meeting the aggrieved family Modi tweeted, “In Kaimur, met the wife & children of Shaheed Vikas Singh and offered my deepest condolences to the family.” 11: 20 am: Cong says Modi`s visit reflects his `double standards` Terming BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi`s visit to Bihar to meet the families of those killed in the Patna serial blasts to be a `political stunt`, the Congress Party on Saturday raised the issue of post-Godhra riots, and asked whether he had ever visited the residence of former Congress MP Ehsan Jafri, one of those killed during the riots across Gujarat, and consoled his wife. Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal said there is tension wherever Modi goes. 11: 15 am: Modi meets blast victim’s family in Kaimur BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi met Patna blast victim Vikas Kumar’s family in Kaimur and handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh. 11: 00 am: Modi tweets about his visit Modi’s tweet says: “Met family of Shaheed Raj Narain Singh in Gaurichak. Proud to know that his 2 sons are serving in the Army!” 10: 45 am: BJP leader briefs media BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, who briefed the media about Modi`s visit, said his party`s prime ministerial candidate came to this rural and ordinary village in Patna to share the pain of Raj Narain Singh`s family members. "He went to the house of Raj Narain Babu ( Raj Narain Singh) who lost his life (in the blasts). He met Raj Narain Babu`s wife, mother and his three sons, two of them who work in the army, and consoled them saying the party is behind them. Moreover, on behalf of the BJP, Sushil Modiji gave a cheque of Rs 5 lakhs to his mother," said Prasad. 10: 30 am: JD(U) leader says Modi in a hury Janata Dal (United) leader Shivanand Tiwari says that there is time for 2014 General Elections, but it seems BJP’s PM candidate Narendra Modi is in a hurry. He also says that if the BJP leader runs so fast there is a possibility of him falling. 10: 15 am: Modi leaves for Kaimur After meeting Rajnarain Singh`s kin at Kamarji village near Gaurichak in Patna district, Modi left for Kaimur district to meet family of another blast victim. 10: 00 am: Modi meets blast victim’s family BJP leader Narendra Modi today reached Gaurichak and met Patna blast victim Rajnarain Singh’s family. He handed over a cheque of Rs 5 lakh to the deceased’s family. 9: 45 am: BJP leader hits out at Nitish BJP leader Giriraj Singh hits out at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for criticising Narendra Modi and says that the JD(U) leader is behaving like some sort of village woman. He accused the Bihar CM of not providing adequate security for Modi. 9: 30 am: Modi arrives in Gaurichak After his schedule was delayed due to heavy fog at Patna airport, Modi reached Gaurichak in a helicopter. He will visit the family of Patna blasts victim Rajnarayan in Gaurichak. 8: 15 am: Modi’s departure from Patna airport delayed Due to heavy fog at Patna airport BJP leader Narendra Modi’s viist to Gaurichak has been delayed. Tight security is in place at Gaurichak. Six people were killed and 83 injured in the blasts that rocked Patna between 9.30 am and 12.45 pm on Sunday shortly before Modi`s address to a `Hunkar` rally` in Gandhi Maidan. Six of the seven blasts took place at Maidan. One explosion was at the railway station. Modi will Saturday visit the homes of the six people who died in the serial blasts in Patna, ahead of a rally that he addressed at Patna`s Gandhi Maidan on October 27. Tight security for Modi Elaborate security arrangements have been made for Modi’s visit. 1000 Special task Force jawans and around 100 inspector rank officers will be present at the places where the BJP leader is scheduled to visit. Besides this a huge contingent of Black Cat Commandos of National Security Guard (NSG) are also guarding Modi. Modi, Nitish are neighbours for a night Narendra Modi reached Patna Friday night and stayed just near Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s official residence. The guest house in which Modi slept overnight is located in a high security zone close to the official residence of the Janata Dal (United) chief. Modi to visit blast victims’ families: BJP BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain on Friday said that Modi, the prime ministerial candidate of the party, will visit the houses of the six victims in different parts of Bihar. Modi will use a helicopter to visit six places - Patna, Nalanda, Begusari, Kaimu, Supaul, Goaplganj to meet families of victims. The state BJP had announced that the party would provide Rs 5 lakh each to the families of those killed and also bear the cost of their last rites. Four people have been arrested in the case so far, while several others have been detained.