Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday lashed out at the RJD-Congress alliance in Bihar, accusing the Opposition of targeting his late mother during a recent political rally in Darbhanga. Speaking at the launch of a cooperative initiative to empower rural women in Bihar, the Prime Minister strongly condemned what he described as “abusive language” used from an Opposition stage, calling it not just a personal attack but an insult to all women across the country.
“Mother is our world. Mother is our self-respect. I had not even imagined what happened a few days ago in this tradition-rich Bihar,” said PM Modi. The Prime Minister alleged that derogatory remarks were made about his mother, Heeraben Modi, during a joint rally by the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress. He expressed deep pain over the incident and said it had hurt sentiments across Bihar and India. “My mother was abused from the stage of RJD-Congress in Bihar. These abuses are not just an insult to my mother, they are insults to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the country,” he said.
Recalling the hardships faced by his late mother, Modi described Heeraben as a symbol of sacrifice, resilience, and devotion. “My mother raised us all in extreme poverty. She would never buy a new saree for herself and would save every penny for our family. Like my mother, crores of mothers of my nation do ‘tapasya’ every day,”he said.
He further added that his mother had no connection to politics and questioned why she was dragged into a political debate. “My mother had nothing to do with politics. She is no longer with us. Some time ago, after completing 100 years, she left us all. Yet, she was abused from the stage of the RJD and Congress,”he said.
Modi launched a scathing attack on Opposition leaders, particularly taking aim at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav, labelling them as “naamdars” and “yuvraajs.” “These 'yuvraajs' born in royal families cannot understand the 'tapasya' of a poor mother and the pain of her son. They were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. They believe that power in Bihar and the country is their family’s inheritance. But the people of India blessed a hardworking son of a poor mother and made him the Prime Servant. That is something they simply cannot digest,” Modi remarked.
The Prime Minister also recalled previous instances where he was personally attacked by Opposition leaders. “There is a long list of slangs they have used against me, sometimes calling me 'neech' (despicable), 'gandi nali ka keeda' (low-life), a snake. And now they have resorted to calling me ‘tu’,” he said, referring to Rahul Gandhi’s informal tone during a rally.
In addition, PM Modi framed the incident as indicative of a deeper “anti-women mindset” within the Opposition ranks. “The mindset that abuses the mother, the sister, considers women to be weak. It views women as objects of exploitation and oppression,” he stated.
He further criticised the Congress for what he described as a history of disrespecting women in leadership roles, referencing the party’s alleged treatment of President Droupadi Murmu, India’s first tribal woman President. “Congress has repeatedly disrespected President Droupadi Murmu, who comes from a poor, tribal family. It is very important to stop this politics of hatred towards women,” Modi said.
Demanding an apology from the RJD and Congress, the Prime Minister urged citizens to hold them accountable.“The land of India has never forgiven those who abuse mothers. RJD and Congress should apologise to Chhathi Maiya,” he said, invoking the revered deity worshipped by Bihari women. “There should be only one voice from every street and locality, 'Maa ko gaali nahin sahenge, nahin sahenge' (We will not tolerate abuses against mothers),” said Narendra Modi.
The controversy erupted after a video from Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Darbhanga went viral. The footage allegedly shows Congress workers shouting slurs against the Prime Minister and his late mother from a rally stage. Posters of Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav can be seen in the background. It was reportedly the same platform from which the leaders began their motorcycle rally towards Muzaffarpur. In response, the BJP filed a First Information Report (FIR) at Kotwali Police Station in Patna, demanding an official apology from the Congress MP and accountability for the remarks made during the event. The Darbhanga Police arrested a man identified as Mohammad Rizvi alias Raja, a resident of Bhapura village in Singhwara. He is accused of making the objectionable remarks captured in the viral video.
