Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday broke his silence on the controversy surrounding a recent rally in Bihar where derogatory remarks were allegedly made against him and his late mother. Speaking at a virtual event to inaugurate the Bihar Rajya Jeevika Nidhi Saakh Sahkari Sangh Limited, the Prime Minister strongly condemned the comments and framed them as a broader insult to “all mothers, sisters, and daughters of the country.”
The incident took place last week during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, a joint initiative of the Congress and the RJD, led by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav. A viral video showed unidentified individuals allegedly hurling abuses from the rally stage. A case was subsequently filed with the Bihar police, leading to one arrest.
“They Were Born with a Silver Spoon”
Speaking with a visible sense of hurt, PM Modi said he “had never imagined that such an act would take place from the rich land of Bihar.” He emphasized the pain he felt, given that his mother, who passed away last year at the age of 100, had no connection to politics. “My mother separated me from her so that I could serve crores of mothers like you,” he said. “That mother, who has nothing to do with politics, who is no more, was abused from the stage of the RJD and Congress. I can only imagine the pain you must have felt.”
Without naming the leaders directly, the Prime Minister launched a sharp attack, referring to them as “yuvraaj” (princes) who were “born with a silver spoon” and could not understand the “tapasya” (penance) of a poor mother or the pain of her son. He said they believe the power of the country is their family legacy and cannot digest that the people have chosen “the hardworking son of a poor mother.”
The Prime Minister concluded his emotional address by stating he can pardon those who made the remarks, but questioned whether “Chhathi maiya” (a revered goddess in Bihar) would forgive them. During the same event, PM Modi also transferred ₹105 crore to the new cooperative society aimed at financially empowering rural women in Bihar. He also urged citizens to prioritize swadeshi (indigenous) products to strengthen the Indian economy.