A day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the NDA government of using the Chhath festival and Yamuna clean-up drives for political mileage, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the opposition from a rally in Bihar’s Muzaffarpur.
Taking aim at the Congress and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Modi accused the opposition of “insulting Chhathi Maiyya” the deity worshipped during the Chhath Mahaparva and vowed to secure UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage status for the festival.
“Our government is trying to get a UNESCO heritage tag for Chhath Mahaparva,” Modi announced to a cheering crowd. “But when your son (Modi) wants to make Chhath popular across the world, the Congress and RJD are insulting Chhathi Maiyya for votes. Tell me can anyone do such a thing for politics? Will mothers who fast during Chhath tolerate such insults?” he asked.
The Prime Minister’s remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi criticised the BJP and its allies for “politicising” the Chhath festival, calling their efforts around river cleaning and festival management “drama.”
In a fiery speech, Modi accused the RJD and Congress of “betraying Bihar” through decades of what he termed jungle raj and corruption. “There are five words that define them Katta (country guns), Kroorta (cruelty), Katuta (bitterness), Kushasan (bad governance), and corruption,” Modi said, adding that their politics had eroded Bihar’s social harmony and economic potential.
He asserted that under RJD-Congress rule, “corruption thrived while the poor were looted and only select families prospered.” “Such people can never do good for Bihar,” Modi declared.
Emphasising his party’s developmental agenda, Modi said, “Our priority in the NDA and BJP is to enhance Bihar’s pride to take its sweet language, culture, and festivals to every corner of the world and ensure development that benefits every citizen.”
He further assured the crowd that the NDA government was committed to generating employment and opportunities within the state. “Bihar ka bete-beti ab palaayan nahi karega, Bihar mein hi kaam karega, Bihar mein hi naam karega,” he said, pledging better education, healthcare, and irrigation facilities.
The rally in Muzaffarpur marks a key moment in the BJP’s campaign ahead of the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, as both the NDA and the Mahagathbandhan sharpen their focus on faith, development, and identity politics in the heartland state.
