Fresh row erupts over abusive slogans against PM Modi's mother at RJD rally

Patna, Sep 21 (IANS) Days after abuses were hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, Heeraben Modi, from the stage of the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar's Darbhanga, a fresh controversy has emerged from RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's rally.

The BJP has claimed that slogans insulting the Prime Minister's mother were raised during Yadav's public meeting. However, the RJD has dismissed these allegations, asserting that the BJP was circulating a doctored video to tarnish its image ahead of the crucial Assembly polls.

On Saturday, the Bihar BJP shared a video on X showing Tejashwi Yadav addressing a gathering from an RJD stage. In the footage circulated by the BJP, a voice in the background can be heard abusing the Prime Minister and his late mother.

"Tejashwi again facilitated the verbal abuse of Modi ji's mother at his rally. The more abusive slogans RJD workers raised, the more Tejashwi encouraged them. RJD-Congress has one programme -- abuse mothers and sisters. Their frustration has reached its peak. Bihar will not forget those abusing a mother. Bihar's mothers and sisters will respond to all abuses," the BJP said in its post on X.

The Congress came to the defence of its ally, countering that the BJP's failure to act against the individual responsible for abusing PM Modi and his late mother highlighted weak governance.

Speaking to IANS, Congress MP Imran Masood said, "Nityanand Rai, Minister of State for Home Affairs, resign first! You can't catch the abuser -- your government is failing. Who's crying? This is weak leadership. The country is suffering the consequences of this weak governance."

Calling on citizens to recognise what he described as the "shortcomings of this weak governance", Masood added, "Your (BJP) government has agencies like the NIA -- so why isn't strict action being taken? This has become a spectacle in front of the country; saying, 'I was abused'; is this all that's left?"

Uttar Pradesh Congress chief Surendra Rajput also criticised the BJP, saying while the party had the right to file an FIR, it was"unfortunate" that it was seeking votes in the name of PM Modi's late mother.

"It is unfortunate that today, the BJP is seeking votes from the people of Bihar in the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother. The mother is respected. The mother who is no longer in this world. If any worker abuses the mother, an FIR should be filed against him. But the Prime Minister, who is crying and asking for votes in her name, is also embarrassing that mother," Rajput told IANS.

He further alleged that the people of Bihar would question the BJP for its past conduct, recalling that when the party had called for a Bihar Bandh in the name of the Prime Minister's mother, its own workers had abused the mothers and sisters of Bihar.

Purnea MP Pappu Yadav also weighed in, stating that insulting anyone's mother was unacceptable and that action should be taken against those responsible. He further linked the incident to "derogatory remarks" made in the past by political leaders.

Speaking to IANS, Pappu Yadav said, "It is absolutely wrong to abuse anyone in any programme. This unruly behaviour by political workers weakens society. Using offensive words for any mother is extremely wrong. Whether it is abusing someone's DNA by PM Modi or making casteist remarks as Anurag Thakur mentioned."

"A mother is honourable; you cannot abuse anyone's blood, caste or father. In the videos that have gone viral, those who have used such words should be expelled from the party, FIRs should be lodged against them, and such people should not be spared, because they are not only enemies of mothers, but also of culture and values," he added.

The BJP had earlier attacked the RJD-Congress alliance after a group of youths were heard shouting abusive remarks against the Prime Minister at the 'Vote Adhikar Yatra', led by Tejaswi Yadav and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, in Darbhanga.

Amid the uproar, PM Modi himself had responded, saying, "I want to tell those who abused my mother in front of the people of Bihar -- Modi might forgive you once, but the land of Bihar and India has never tolerated insult to a mother."

--IANS

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