Expletive against his Mother: Modi Lash out at Congress, RJD, Opposition Slam Using Mother for Politics
Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Sept 2: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi lashed out at the Congress and the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) for the alleged use of some abusive language against his mother by some participants in Rahul Gandhi’s just-concluded “Voter Adhikar Yatra” in poll-bound Bihar, while the opposition slammed at him for making “political use” of his mother.
Some of the opposition leaders also reminded Mr Modi and the BJP about the slang language used by the Prime Minister against his women political rivals including Rahul Gandhi’s mother Sonia Gandhi and the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee and wondered why are Mr Rahul Gandhi and Mr Tejashwi Yadav being abused for someone using expletive against Mt Modi’s mother who was arrested by the police and his comments condemned by all.
Reacting for the first time for the six day old episode in which a youth allegedly abused his mother from a platform erected to receive the Rahul – Tejashwi Yatra in a village in Darbhanga on August 27, Mr Modi said, “What happened in Bihar a few days ago, I hadn’t even imagined it. From the RJD-Congress platform in Bihar, my mother was abused. These abuses are not just an insult to my mother, it is an insult to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of the country,” Mr Modi said.
A political row had erupted in poll-bound Bihar after a video of the incident went viral on social media. The ruling BJP condemned the remarks, criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and lodged a police complaint against him in Patna. The youth was later arrested and apologised.
Mr Modi lashed out at the Opposition during a video address from New Delhi while launching the Jeevika Nidhi Credit Cooperative Federation, where he also transferred ₹105 crore into the institution’s bank account. Attacking the RJD and the Congress, he added, “I want to say to those who abuse the mother in front of the people of Bihar that Modi might forgive you once but the land of India has never tolerated the insult to the mother.”
He told the gathering, “I know how bad it must have felt for all of you to see and hear this. I know that the pain in my heart from this is matched by the distress felt by the people of my Bihar. Therefore, today, as I am having darshan of lakhs of mothers and sisters from Bihar in such large numbers, today my heart and I are sharing my sorrow with you. So with your mothers and sisters’ blessings, I may be able to endure it.”
Mr Modi alleged that parties such as the RJD never wanted women to progress and strongly opposed even women’s reservation. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy Chief Ministers Samrat Choudhary and Vijay Kumar Sinha of the BJP were present.
Mr Modi accused the RJD government of providing protection to “murderers and rapists” and alleged that during its rule, “crime and criminals were rampant in Bihar and murder, extortion, and rape were common.” He said women bore the brunt during that period. The Prime Minister asserted that Bihar had emerged from that “darkness” after a long struggle, with women playing a significant role in repeatedly defeating the RJD.
“Whether it is RJD or Congress, these people are most bewildered towards all women. These people want to take revenge for sending them out of power and they are looking for an opportunity so that they can punish women,” he alleged. He charged that the Congress had never been able to tolerate any backward or extremely backward person rising ahead.
“The mentality that abuses mothers, the mentality that abuses sisters, considers women weak. This mindset treats women as objects of exploitation and oppression. Therefore, whenever an anti-woman mentality has come to power, mothers-sisters-daughters have had to endure the most suffering,” Mr Modi said.
Without naming RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the Prime Minister said “young princes born into royal families” could not understand the penance of a poor mother and the suffering of her son. “These honourable people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. The power of the country and Bihar seems like an inheritance of their family to them. They think that the chair should only be theirs. But the people of the country gave a blessing to a poor mother’s working son and made him the Prime Servant. This fact is not going well with the name-bearers,” he said.
Mr Modi also pointed out that a mother toils to provide education and upbringing to her children, instilling high values in them. “That is why the place of a mother is considered even above gods and goddesses,” he said. “You all know that my mother’s body is no longer in this world. Some time ago, after completing 100 years of age, she left us all. My mother, who had nothing to do with politics, whose body is no longer here. My mother was subjected to vile abuses from the RJD-Congress platform. This is deeply saddening, painful, and distressing. What was the fault of that mother that she was made to hear such vile abuses,” he said.
“In Bihar, slangs were used for my mother from an RJD-Congress stage. These slangs have not just insulted my mother, but every mother and sister in India. I know you are pained as much as I am after you heard this.” He urged the women of Bihar to demand answers from the RJD and the Congress, stating that “insult to mother will not be tolerated.” “The dignity of the mother, her honour, her self-respect is a very high priority for our government. The mother is our world; the mother is our pride. I have worked tirelessly every day, every moment for my country and my mother has played a very big role. I had to serve Mother India, so the mother who gave birth to me freed me from my duties,” he said.
“There is a long list of slangs they have used against me. Sometimes they call me neech (despicable), gandi nali ka keeda (low-life), a snake and now they have resorted to calling me ‘tu’,” the Prime Minister said, referring to Mr Gandhi referring to him as “tu” at a rally.
Senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said BJP’s “agents” entered the Congress event and used slang to raise a political storm. “They are frustrated over our yatra. They want to divert attention.” Leaders of the Congress and the RJD stressed that Mr Gandhi or Mr Yadav were not on the stage when the abusive words were used, and the BJP is playing up the issue to score political points.
RJD’s Mrityunjay Tiwari slammed the Prime Minister for using his mother as a shield and fanning emotions for votes. “There should be no politics in a mother’s name. The Prime Minister’s mother is respected, but he should ensure she is not used for politics. Why does he stay silent when Rahul Gandhi’s mother is abused?” Congress leader Udit Raj accused the Prime Minister of using his mother for politics.
Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra took a sharp dig at Mr Modi calling his address on Tuesday over the alleged use of abusive language directed at his late mother “a bit rich.” A post by Mahua Moitra on social media platform X seemingly accused PM Modi of having a history of using derogatory language against political opponents.
“From the Didi O Didi streetside hoot against @MamataOfficial to Jersey Cow & Congress ki Vidhwa against Sonia Gandhiji to 50 crore ki Gilfriend for @ShashiTharoor‘s wife, Hon’ble @narendramodi has said it all. Today’s Mind Your Language speech from him is a bit rich!” Mahua Moitra wrote on X.
