I bow before Bihar`s determination: Narendra Modi

Zee Media Bureau/Sushmita Dutta

Patna: Bharatiya Janata Party`s (BJP) prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Saturday met the family members of Patna serial blast victims and thanked the people of Bihar for maintaining peace. Addressing reporters after meeting with kin of the Patna blasts, Modi said, "I am grateful to the people of Bihar for showing much patience in the face of a crisis like the serial blasts." He further said, "Many universities do case studies of such incidents. I hope after ample media coverage of what happened at the rally, some university will study this event. I bow before such determination.” "Came here (Bihar) to share the grief of the families of the blasts victims. Because of bad weather I could not meet two families. In the future, I will try and meet the families I could not meet today due to the weather," the Gujarat chief minister said. While recalling the serial blasts which took place here ahead of the `Hunkar rally`, Modi said, "In BJP`s historic rally, terrorists attacked, many innocent people of Bihar lost their lives. I felt like visiting the families of the Patna blasts victims and hence I went to their homes to share their grief." "Wanted to reach out to blasts victims, share their pain and grief," Modi added. Further while thanking the people of Bihar for maintaining peace when the blasts took place, Modi said, "I thank the people of Bihar for maintaining peace on October 27 rally." Narendra Modi said, "I am grateful to the people of Bihar for showing much patience in the face of a crisis like the serial blasts." "I congratulate the people of Bihar for the courage & patience they have shown, even after the blasts took place they maintained calm," the BJP`s PM candidate said. 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 at the `Hunkar rally`. As per news reports the main aim of the Patna serial blasts was to create panic which could have lead to a stampede as a huge number of people had gathered for the `Hunkar rally` at Patna`s Gandhi Maidan. Six of the seven blasts took place here on Sunday while the seventh explosion took place at the railway station. But no stampede took place, so referring to this incident Modi said, "The way the people of Bihar behaved in the midst of bomb blasts, is a testament to their courage. I salute this land and the people of this state (Bihar)." Concluding his message, ahead of the festival of lights `Diwali` and Chhath Puja, Modi offered his warm wishes to the people of Bihar. "Wish all my Bihari brothers and sisters a happy Diwali and greetings for Chhath Puja," Narendra Modi. Earlier, Modi spoke to the wife of Patna blasts victim Munna Srivastav over phone, as he was unable to visit the family in Gopalganj due to bad weather conditions. He consoled the lady and said Munna`s sacrifice will not go waste and offered deepest condolences to the family. "Your daughter is like my daughter, we will take care of her. I wanted to visit you, but due to bad weather my helicopter could not land," he said. He also tweeted: "Spoke to wife of Shaheed Munna Srivastava on phone. We are all a part of one family and stand by them in this hour of grief." Modi`s chopper was not able to land at Gopalganj due to bad weather conditions. Modi, who arrived in Patna last night, met the families of the six people who were killed in the serial blasts. Meanwhile, the ruling JD(U) hit out at Modi, alleging that he was playing politics of polarisation and questioned why he had never visited the families of 2002 Gujarat riots victims. "This kind of behaviour does not behove a person who has been named as the prime ministerial candidate by the main opposition party. We are not saying he should not come to Bihar. But the time he has chosen is not right," JD(U) leader Shivanand Tiwari said. With ANI inputs