Modi Committed to Bihar's Development, Asks Biharis to Shed Casteism

Reaching out to the voters of Bihar ahead of the assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was committed to the development of the state and asked the people to rise above the caste divide failing which the public life there will "decay".

Inaugurating the golden jubilee celebrations of acclaimed poet Ramdhari Singh Dinkar's works, the Prime Minister said he was committed to taking forward his vision of progress and prosperity to the state without which India's development was incomplete.

"The western India may be prosperous, but unless the wisdom of the east complements it, India will not be able to achieve its full potential. Once 'Lakshmi' (Goddess of money) and 'Saraswati' (Goddess of learning and wisdom) unite, the world will see how fast India progresses," he said.

Referring to a letter written by Dinkar in 1961, Modi said the poet was of the view that Bihar will have to "forget" the caste system and "follow the virtuous".

"You cannot rule with the help of one or two castes. You need support of all. If you do not rise above caste, Bihar's public life will decay," he said, quoting Dinkar's letter.

He said the poet's works acted as a "bridge" between the ideals of Jaya Prakash Narayan and the youth of the country.

"He had fire within. But it was not meant to burn but work as a light for generations to come," he said, noting that Dinkar's works are relevant even today.

The Prime Minister said development of states like West Bengal, Bihar, eastern Uttar Pradesh and the northeast was critical to the overall development of the country.

The launch of the celebrations to honour the late Bihar poet by Modi is being seen as an attempt by the BJP to woo the voters of Bihar ahead of the assembly polls in the state slated later this year.

Recalling the poet's contribution to bridging the caste divide, Modi said Dinkar never took sides or promoted people based on their caste.

Referring to Dinkar's letter, he said the poet could foresee and was concerned about the future of Bihar.

"The letter still holds relevance for Bihar as these are not words of a person who knows politics, but of a saint-like man who was concerned about the future of Bihar," Modi said.

He said the acclaimed poet dreamt of Bihar surging ahead and becoming prosperous. "It (the state) needs opportunity to move ahead. It has the capability but needs opportunity," the Prime Minister said.

Dinkar, described as a 'rashtrakavi' (national poet), was a great visionary who was rooted to the village life, the PM recalled, and said his poems, which were once memorised by thousands, assimilated India's heritage and culture, and were the best way to understand the essence of India.

He said there are very few creations which have stood the test of time the way Dinkar's works have. He said his works and writings are a window for generations to understand the transformation of India.

The programme was organised to mark the golden jubilee of two of Dinkar's great works -- Sanskriti Ke Chaar Adhyaay and Parashuram Ki Pratiksha."
Poet, essayist and academician, Dinkar was a member of the Rajya Sabha and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in 1959.

He was also the Vice-Chancellor of Bhagalpur University in Bihar in the early 1960s.