Bihar’s political landscape is experiencing heightened tensions following offensive remarks made in Darbhanga concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s deceased mother. The BJP and its NDA allies are aggressively leveraging the issue for political gain. The NDA, aiming to counter the Mahagathbandhan’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra,’ has formulated a strategic response. As a direct protest to the controversial comments, the NDA has called for a Bihar bandh scheduled for September 4th.
The announcement of the bandh was made during a joint press conference held on Tuesday in Patna at the BJP’s state office. State presidents from each of the NDA’s constituent parties were present to provide details about the planned shutdown. Key figures included Dr. Dilip Jaiswal from the BJP, Anil Kumar representing the HAM party, Umesh Singh Kushwaha from the Janata Dal United, Raju Tiwari from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), and Madan Chaudhary, the in-charge state president of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha. The press conference also saw the participation of women leaders from the NDA, including Baby Kumari, Vice President of the BJP Mahila Morcha; Dr. Bharti Mehta, the Janata Dal United’s Women’s Wing President; Kumari Shobha Sinha from the Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) Women’s Wing; and Smriti Kushwaha from the Rashtriya Lok Morcha Women’s Wing.
Dr. Jaiswal, the BJP’s state president, strongly condemned the abusive language used against PM Modi and his mother during events organized by the Congress and RJD in Darbhanga. He stated that such remarks were not only disgraceful but also undermined democratic principles and brought shame to Bihar. He emphasized the universal reverence for mothers, regardless of political affiliation, and questioned how anyone could tolerate such offensive language.
The NDA has called for a bandh on September 4th in response to the derogatory remarks. The bandh aims to be a public demonstration against the statements made by the RJD and Congress. The shutdown will begin at 7 am and conclude at 12 pm, with exemptions for emergency services and rail transport.
Dr. Jaiswal urged the public to support the Bihar bandh on September 4th as a necessary response to the actions of the RJD and Congress. He clarified that the women’s wings of the NDA parties would be at the forefront of the bandh.
Umesh Singh Kushwaha criticized the offensive language, calling it a blow to democratic values and pointing out the high regard for mothers in Indian culture. He highlighted the lack of public apologies from any Mahagathbandhan leaders and questioned their intentions.
Raju Tiwari said that the language reflected the values of the speakers, referencing the similar use of language against Chirag Paswan’s family in 2024. He criticized the disrespect shown towards the concept of a mother.
Dr. Anil Kumar expressed his disapproval, highlighting the fear the remarks had instilled in the people of Bihar. He referenced the past ‘jungle raj’ and the importance of respecting mothers.
Madan Chaudhary expressed his support for the bandh, emphasizing respect for all mothers and stating that the Rashtriya Lok Morcha’s women’s wing would fully participate. Dr. Bharti Mehta, the JDU’s women’s wing president, also condemned the remarks, stating they were an insult to the nation and calling for public support for the bandh.