Halloween vs. Chhath: Bihar poll campaign takes religious turn
What's the story
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has taken a religious turn in its election campaign in Bihar, accusing the opposition Mahagathbandhan of disrespecting Hindu festivals. Leading the charge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, whose family recently celebrated Halloween. "These RJD and Congress people travel all over the world. We read about it on social media and feel ashamed, but they don't find time to visit the Ram Temple," Modi said.
Festival controversy
BJP's attack on Yadav over past comments
He claimed that while they opposed the Ram temple, they were soft on "infiltrators." The BJP also cited Yadav's remark from February that Kumbh celebrations were "meaningless" to attack the opposition. The party's farmers' wing wrote on X, "Don't forget...this is the same Lalu Yadav who called the grand festival of faith and spirituality Kumbh useless, and is now celebrating the foreign festival Halloween." Bihar BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma slammed Yadav's remarks as reflective of the RJD's attitude toward Hinduism.
Political accusations
Chhath festival also in focus
Amit Shah also accused the Congress-RJD combine of insulting the Chhath festival. "Rahul Gandhi has just insulted Chhathi Maiya (mother deity)," he said, referring to Gandhi's accusation that PM Modi had a clean pond made for himself next to the dirty Yamuna in Delhi so he could "do drama" on Chhath. "This time, along with Modi, you have insulted Chhathi Maiya," Shah said.
Counterattack
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra mocks PM Modi
In response to the BJP's focus on alleged insults, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra suggested that the PM should form a new ministry called "Apamaan Mantralaya" or "Ministry of Insults." Addressing an election rally in Sonabarsa, Vadra accused Modi of diverting attention from key issues like unemployment and corruption by focusing on insults from opposition leaders. She also alleged that the Bihar government was being "remote-controlled from Delhi" and claimed Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had been reduced to a figurehead.