At Bihar rally, Chirag tears into INDIA bloc over abuse hurled at PM's mother

Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Sep 4 (PTI) Union minister Chirag Paswan on Thursday deplored the use of "disrespectful language" for Prime Minister Narendra Modi and abuse hurled at the latter's late mother during Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar.

The Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) president addressed a rally in Muzaffarpur, soon after a five-hour bandh called by the BJP-led NDA, in which his party had also taken part.

"The culture of Bihar has been such that even children are addressed with the deferential pronoun 'Aap'. But the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha (Gandhi) used disrespectful forms of addressing (tuu tadaak) for the PM", the Hajipur MP said.

He added that "abuse was hurled at Modi's mother. This is nothing new, if we take into account behaviour of INDIA bloc supporters. Last year, during Lok Sabha polls, abuses were hurled at my mother and sisters by RJD supporters in presence of Tejashwi Yadav".

Notably, an INDIA bloc supporter had screamed expletives into the microphone placed on a small podium erected by a Congress leader in Darbhanga on a day the Yatra had passed through the north Bihar district.

The accused, a 25 year-old local resident, was arrested a day after video clip of the incident went viral. Leaders of the INDIA bloc have sought to distance themselves from the entire episode claiming neither the person concerned was an active member of any of the constituent parties nor was any prominent leader present at the spot when abuses were hurled.

"These abuses indicate the mindset of RJD-Congress combine towards women. In contrast, we in the NDA bestow highest honour upon women which we express through acts like the construction of a grand temple at the birthplace of goddess Sita", the Dalit leader said.

"The upcoming assembly polls present before the people of Bihar a choice between those who are abusive towards women and those who respect mothers and sisters", Paswan said.

Earlier, talking to reporters in Patna, Paswan had asserted "reluctance of Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav to openly condemn the incident will be viewed as a tacit approval. It will have consequences in the assembly polls".

Describing RJD's rock solid core support base of Muslims and Yadavs as one that was "divisive", the Union Minister vowed to counter the opposition with "our own MY combine, comprising Mahila (women) and Yuva (youth)".

The former Lok Janshakti Party president also made a mention of the split in the party founded by his late father Ram Vilas Paswan, which also led to a strain in family relations with uncle Pashupati Kumar Paras.

Calling himself "a tiger's cub (sher ka beta)", the LJP(RV) president called upon workers to strive for the victory of NDA "with an intensity that should give the impression that each one of you is Chirag Paswan". PTI NAC MNB