Rahul Gandhi holding a placard during his Bihar Yatra.
Modi Insults at Rally Ignite Political Fury; Gandhi’s Silence on Slurs Fuels NDA Outrage
Darbhanga/Sitamarhi/New Delhi: The use of abusive language in political discourse plummeted to a deplorable low on August 28, 2025, in Darbhanga, Bihar, when derogatory remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, Heeraben Modi, disrupted the Congress-led ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra.’ Videos captured unidentified individuals chanting explicit insults, such as “Modi mad*rch*d hai,” from what appeared to be the rally’s stage or microphone during a Mahagathbandhan event attended by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) workers. The incident ignited widespread outrage, legal action, and a fierce political clash, exposing the fragility of civility in India’s charged pre-election landscape ahead of the 2025 Bihar Assembly polls.
The Yatra commenced at 8:30 AM in Darbhanga’s Atarbel area, organised by Bihar Youth Congress leader Mohammed Naushad, to protest the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which Congress claims deleted 65 lakh voters, primarily from Dalit, backwards, and minority communities.
Later that evening, the Yatra reached Runni Saidpur in Sitamarhi, where Rahul Gandhi delivered a public address. His tone was aggressive and confrontational, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India (ECI) of orchestrating “vote theft.” Gandhi labelled Modi a “vote chor” (vote thief), alleging manipulation of 70–80 Lok Sabha seats in 2024 and vowing to expose this within six months. He mocked Modi’s “56-inch chest” persona, citing a supposed claim by former US President Donald Trump that Modi halted a military conflict with Pakistan within five hours of a 24-hour ultimatum. Gandhi framed the Yatra as a defence of the Constitution and voting rights, stating, “Bihar mein jo 65 lakh vote kate hain, unmein Daliton, pichhron, alpsankhyakon ke vote hain.”
Rahul Gandhi engaged supporters by allowing them to approach his vehicle and visited the Janaki Devi Temple with Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav, blending political rhetoric with cultural resonance in Sitamarhi, the birthplace of Goddess Sita. Notably, Gandhi remained unapologetic, making no mention of the Darbhanga remarks in his speech or the Indian National Congress (INC) press release, focusing solely on electoral issues despite the controversy’s proximity earlier that day.
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) condemned the Darbhanga incident with vehemence. In a press conference in New Delhi on August 28, BJP National Spokesperson Dr. Sambit Patra called the remarks “condemnable and shameful,” accusing Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav of engaging in a “politics of abuse.” He likened Gandhi to Mani Shankar Aiyar, criticised his use of “tu” for Modi as disrespectful to the Prime Minister of 140 crore Indians, and cited past Congress insults, such as calling Army Chief Bipin Rawat a “sadak ka gunda” in 2017 and questioning Supreme Court judgments, to argue a pattern of disrespect. Patra demanded apologies, emphasising the insult to Modi’s late mother as crossing ethical boundaries, and announced the BJP would release the video on social media to expose Congress’s conduct. Union Home Minister Amit Shah labelled the episode a “stain on our democracy,” accusing Congress of resentment over Modi’s tenure as a “poor mother’s son.” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called it an “insult to 140 crore Indians,” urging Bihar voters to respond in the polls. Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)) MP Sanjay Jha condemned the “insulting abuses” from Gandhi’s stage, while Lok Janshakti Party (LJP-Ram Vilas) MP Arun Bharti accused the Opposition of “Jungle Raj” tactics, referencing past insults against Chirag Paswan. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis remarked that Gandhi had “lost his senses,” and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan called it a shameful crossing of limits. Interestingly, no official reactions were found from Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders, including N. Chandrababu Naidu, at the time of going to the press.
The Congress response was limited and delegated. Mohammed Naushad issued an apology, acknowledging the remarks as unacceptable. Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate questioned the video’s authenticity, suggesting possible manipulation, but this claim remains unverified by independent sources. Gandhi’s unapologetic stance in Sitamarhi, where he avoided addressing the Darbhanga remarks, fueled NDA accusations of complicity. JD(U) leader Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh noted the remarks were made “from Rahul Gandhi’s stage,” amplifying the narrative of Congress’s irresponsibility.
A First Information Report (FIR) was filed by BJP leader Sanjay Singh at Laheriasarai police station in Darbhanga under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for the abusive language. The police are investigating, including verifying the video’s authenticity, with no arrests reported as of 11:27 PM IST on August 28, 2025.
Social media amplified the controversy, with hashtags like #माँ_का_अपमान_कॉंग्रेस_की_पहचान (insulting a mother is Congress’s identity) trending, reflecting public anger over personal attacks in politics.
The Darbhanga incident and Gandhi’s subsequent Sitamarhi address highlight a deepening divide in Bihar’s political landscape. Gandhi’s silence on the remarks, contrasted with his aggressive tone accusing the BJP of vote theft, suggests a strategy to prioritise the Yatra’s electoral agenda while deflecting the controversy through Naushad’s apology and Shrinate’s tampering claim. His temple visit and crowd engagement aimed to counter the NDA’s narrative of cultural disrespect.
The NDA, through Patra’s press conference and other leaders’ statements, has framed the incident as evidence of Congress’s disrespect, leveraging the FIR and social media to keep the issue prominent. The ongoing investigation ensures the controversy will influence Bihar’s pre-election discourse, testing the boundaries of political civility.
– global bihari bureau
