Following Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi’s comments at a rally in Bihar, where he accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of engaging in “drama” and “dancing” for votes, particularly in relation to Chhath Puja, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have launched a strong counter-attack. Gandhi had claimed that a separate pond was built for the Prime Minister to bathe in during Chhath Puja in Delhi, suggesting it was a staged event for electoral gain.
Reacting to these remarks, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta stated via X that Gandhi’s comments reflect his “political bankruptcy” and that the Congress lacks a genuine agenda for Bihar, resorting instead to personal attacks for cheap popularity. Speaking to reporters, Gupta further elaborated, “These leaders of the Mahagathbandhan are all like thieves, who can do anything, insult anyone, just for votes. But Biharis understand this. Biharis may be innocent, but they are not foolish.” She also criticized Gandhi for “political immaturity” and for allegedly insulting the faith of Chhath devotees.
Rahul Gandhi had specifically alleged that PM Modi had claimed he would bathe in the Yamuna for Chhath, but instead, a “drama” was staged with a separate, clean pond filled via a pipe. He suggested that a photograph of this pipe exposed the alleged deception.
Countering Gandhi’s narrative, the Delhi CM highlighted the improvements made to Yamuna ghats under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, stating, “Where devotees were once forced to worship amidst foam and filth, today those same ghats are replete with cleanliness, facilities, and beauty. This sensitivity is the culture of the BJP.”
Union Minister Giriraj Singh, a prominent BJP leader from Bihar, also took a swipe at Gandhi, remarking that the “habit of dancing runs in Gandhi’s family.”
Dharmendra Pradhan, another Union Minister and BJP’s Bihar election in-charge, suggested that Gandhi’s statements were driven by fear of losing the assembly polls. He reminded voters that for two decades, Bihar has rejected the “jungle raj” of the RJD and Congress, accusing them of betraying the aspirations of the state’s youth and referencing past insults to PM Modi’s mother.
Addressing Gandhi’s claim that Bihar CM Nitish Kumar was merely a figurehead controlled by the BJP, Pradhan questioned Gandhi’s locus standi and asserted that the people of Bihar would not be misled, adding that Tejashwi Yadav was not being taken seriously.