Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar Chief Minister, Lalu Prasad Yadav, attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying “PM is not a Hindu”, questioning his adherence to Hindu customs. Speaking at the Jan Vishwas Maharally at Patna’s Gandhi Maidan on Sunday, Lalu Yadav highlighted Prime Minister Modi”s failure to observe traditional customs such as shaving his head and beard after the passing of his mother, Heeraben Modi, who died at the age of 99 in December 2022.
The rally marked the first joint gathering of the Mahagathbandhan (grand alliance) following the Janata Dal (United)’s departure from the coalition, forming a new government in Bihar alongside the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“What can we do if Narendra Modi does not have a family of his own?” he had said. “He keeps bragging about the Ram temple. He is not even a true Hindu. In Hindu tradition, a son must shave his head and beard after the death of his parents. Modi did not do so when his mother died,” Lalu Yadav had said.
Lalu Yadav”s remarks stirred controversy, with PM Modi responding to Lalu Yadav”s charges with the “Modi Ka Parivar” campaign today. Soon top BJP leaders added “Modi ka parivar” to their social media handles.
Addressing a rally in Telangana”s Adilabad, PM Modi asserted, “Leaders of the INDI alliance, deeply engrossed in corruption, nepotism and appeasement, are becoming nervous. When I question their “parivarvad”, they say Modi has no family.”
“My life is an open book, 140 crore people of the country are my family. Today, crores of daughters, mothers and sisters of the country are Modi”s family. Every poor person in the country is my family. Those who have no one, they also belong to Modi and Modi belongs to them. They say “Nene Modi Kutumbam” (I”m Modi family),” he added.
The “Modi ka parivar” campaign draws parallels with the “Main bhi chowkidar” initiative from the 2019 general election. During that time, BJP leaders appended “Main bhi chowkidar (I am also a watchman)” to their social media profiles in response to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi”s “Chowkidaar chor hai” (The watchman is a thief) jibe directed at PM Modi.
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha also condemned Lalu Yadav”s remarks, asserting that such statements diminish Bihar”s reputation. “Lalu Prasad Yadav lessens the respect of Bihar. Because of them, the Bihari people feel ashamed. The person who not only got back the due respect of Sanatana Dharma but also increased its stature, they disrespect him,” Sinha told reporters.
The event saw a significant turnout, with Congress leaders such as Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav of the Samajwadi Party, Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M), D. Raja of the CPI, and Dipankar Bhattacharya of the CPI(ML) in attendance. Despite the rain, around five lakh people gathered to participate in the opposition alliance”s first major rally in Bihar.
The presence of supporters from neighbouring Jharkhand and the participation of RJD MLA and Minister Satyanand Bhokta underscored the widespread support for the grand alliance. The historic significance of Gandhi Maidan, known for hosting numerous rallies of socialist leaders including Jai Prakash Narayan, added weight to the occasion.
Lalu Yadav further leveled accusations against PM Modi, alleging that his policies have fueled communal tensions within society. Lashing out at Nitish Kumar for betraying the grand alliance’s mandate, the RJD chief said, “When he first betrayed us, I did not abuse him. I just said he is Paltu Ram (turncoat). However, the second time, we made the mistake, I made the mistake and Tejashwi [Yadav] also made the mistake by accepting him. Now once again, he has gone under the feet of Narendra Modi. Doesn’t Nitish have any shame about how people are making funny reels on him?”
Encouraging party workers to engage more with members of the Extremely Backward Classes (EBC), Lalu Yadav emphasised the importance of grassroots outreach and personal connections. Highlighting the significant presence of EBCs in Bihar, constituting 36% of the population according to recent surveys, he underscored their potential to influence electoral outcomes.
Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge also criticised PM Modi, accusing him of undermining Constitutional values. Gandhi highlighted the socio-political significance of Bihar, referring to it as the “nerve center” of Indian politics. “Whenever there is change in the country, a cyclone starts in Bihar because Bihar is the nerve centre of politics. There is a battle of ideology in the country between hatred, violence and love, brotherhood. Why is there hatred in the country? The only reason is injustice. The Prime Minister only works for two to three industrialists,” Gandhi said.
Congress chief Kharge too attacked Modi calling him as a “sardar (leader) of liars”. “To save the country and Constitution, the BJP and Modi must be thrown out. The BJP is threatening people with ED and CBI but we will not bow down, rather we would prefer to die,” he added.
Akhilesh Yadav echoed the sentiment of defeating the BJP, issuing the rallying cry of “120 harao” (defeat BJP in 120 seats), encompassing Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, which collectively hold 40 and 80 Lok Sabha seats, respectively.
