Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar has been overshadowed by uproar after video clips emerged of Congress workers shouting abusive slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother at a rally in Darbhanga.
The incident, captured from a dais decorated with posters of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, went viral on social media on Thursday. None of the leaders were present on stage when the remarks were made.
Party workers were also heard chanting the name of Mohammad Naushad, a local Congress leader eyeing a ticket in the upcoming elections. Naushad, however, denied involvement, saying he had already left with Rahul Gandhi for a rally in Muzaffarpur. “I have contested elections twice from Delhi. For 20 years, I have been a party worker. We cannot do such a thing. Still, I apologise. Since we organised the programme, I am apologising,” he told India Today over the phone.
The controversy quickly spiralled into a political slugfest, with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding a public apology from Rahul Gandhi. “Rahul Gandhi, the kind of language and abuses against PM Modi that you are using and making others use from the stage are absolutely intolerable. You must apologise to the nation for this, and the people of Bihar will never forgive you for it,” BJP spokesperson Neeraj Kumar said.
He went on to link the episode to Modi’s background. “A poor man’s child, a son from the OBC community, has become the Prime Minister – and you cannot tolerate this. By burning with such jealousy, you will only end up destroying yourself,” he remarked.
Also read: Rahul Gandhi, allies to wrap up Bihar yatra with march on Sept 1
Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP MP from Patna Sahib, sharpened the attack in a strongly worded post on X, describing the remarks as “shameful” and “deeply insulting,” not just to the Prime Minister but also to Indian values. “The vulgar language used from the platform of Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav's yatra against the late mother of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji is extremely shameful and condemnable. This incident is not only disrespectful to Prime Minister Modi's mother but also a shameful moment for the entire country,” he said.
Prasad also praised Modi’s late mother, recalling the values of service and patriotism she had instilled in her son. “The people of Bihar will surely respond to the hateful and abusive language used by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav,” he added.
The Congress sought to douse the fire. Senior leader Rashid Alvi said: “This act is definitely condemnable,” adding that the party had no role in encouraging such language and that an internal inquiry was underway to establish responsibility.
The row threatens to eclipse the larger agenda of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’, launched by Rahul Gandhi and supported by the RJD to mobilise voters against the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. On Wednesday, Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi held rallies in Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Sitamarhi, all strongholds of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.
As the war of words deepens, the episode risks becoming a flashpoint in Bihar’s already polarised campaign, with both alliances sharpening their rhetoric ahead of the Assembly polls.
The embedded video contains offensive language directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother. Viewer discretion is advised. The remarks expressed in the footage are not endorsed by this publication.
Follow us
