Sitamarhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, laid the foundation stone for a grand Janaki temple in Sitamarhi on Friday. The event took place during heavy rain, which Shah called a blessing from Mata Janaki. He said the temple will become a symbol of pride for Mithila and Bihar.
The new temple will be built on 50 acres at a cost of Rs 882 crore. It will be made of special sandstone from Rajasthan and will stand 156 feet tall. Soil from 21 pilgrimage sites, water from 11 rivers, and bricks from Ayodhya’s Hanuman Garhi were brought in for the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony. Flowers from Nepal were used to decorate the temple site.
During his speech, Shah strongly criticised opposition leaders. He said that people who are not born in India should not be allowed to vote. He also questioned RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav for supporting what he called “infiltrators”. Shah asked, “Lalu ji, are you trying to save people who come from Bangladesh and take jobs from the youth of Bihar?”
Shah also spoke about the Modi government’s tough response to terrorism. He mentioned the Balakot air strike, saying, “We entered Pakistan and took revenge for the Pahalgam attack.” He added that the Congress government used to stay silent after attacks, but the current government gives strong answers.
He also responded to criticism about development in Bihar. Shah compared railway budgets, saying, “When Lalu was Railway Minister, the budget was Rs 1,132 crore. Now, Modi ji has given Rs 10,066 crore for Bihar’s railways in 2025-26.” Shah ended by saying that the NDA will form the next government in Bihar with a clear majority.
