In Bihar, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has declared a statewide bandh scheduled for September 4th. The bandh is a protest against the opposition for making abusive remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother during a joint event. The bandh will last five hours, from 7 am to 12 noon, as confirmed by Dilip Jaiswal, the BJP’s Bihar state president. However, essential services like emergency services and rail transport will be exempted from the shutdown. The BJP Mahila Morcha will spearhead the protest activities. The bandh is in response to offensive comments made by Congress workers during the Voter Adhikar Yatra held in Darbhanga last week. Umesh Kushwaha, a Janata Dal (United) leader, condemned the comments, calling them morally and politically wrong. He further criticized the lack of an apology from the Mahagathbandhan leaders, viewing it as a sign of arrogance. Kushwaha emphasized the insult to women and stated the need for a strong response, leading the NDA to call for a Bihar bandh. Women’s wing members will hold protests throughout Bihar. Concurrently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an indirect move, took a swipe at INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, labeling them ‘namdaars.’ He suggested they are unaware of the struggles of the poor. The Prime Minister referred to the objectionable comments made during the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Bihar last week, stating that these leaders, born into privileged families, cannot understand the hardships of those less fortunate, seeing power as an inherited privilege.
