New Delhi: The Congress on Tuesday dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s charge of being abused during the opposition’s Bihar yatra, calling it an attempt to play the “victim card” and divert attention from the real issue of voter list revisions ahead of the state elections.
Congress insiders claimed the INDIA bloc’s Voter Adhikar Yatra (Aug 17–Sep 1) had received a strong public response. The campaign highlighted that over 65 lakh names were allegedly removed from Bihar’s electoral rolls by the Election Commission “at the behest of the BJP.” According to party leaders, this narrative of “vote theft” had gained ground across the state.
The controversy began after Darbhanga police arrested one Rafiq alias Raja on August 29 for allegedly using abusive language against the Prime Minister during a rally. The incident triggered a violent attack on the Congress headquarters at Sadaqat Ashram in Patna by BJP workers. Congress leaders later alleged that Raja was close to BJP leaders and had been deliberately planted to defame Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, who led the yatra.
AICC functionary Chandan Yadav said the Prime Minister’s remarks were an attempt to counter the yatra’s impact.
“People have understood the message of vote theft. This movement has left the BJP worried. First, they deployed one of their own to create a controversy, and now the PM is playing the victim card. But this will not work on the ground,” he said.
Yadav added that voters were looking for answers on issues like unemployment, poor education and healthcare, migration, and weak law and order in Bihar.
“Instead of addressing these, the PM is trying to shift the debate,” he said.
Another Congress leader, Assaf Ali, pointed out that while abuses against any leader should be condemned, Modi himself had previously used derogatory language against opposition leaders including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee, Sunanda Pushkar, and Renuka Chowdhury.
“It is ironic that the Prime Minister now wants to play the victim card. The arrested person was a BJP worker who infiltrated an INDIA bloc event to defame the yatra. People can see through such tactics, and these tricks will not save the BJP in Bihar,” Ali said.
