Bihar bandh: BJP & JDU claim success, Opposition cries disruption

New Delhi: The ruling NDA in Bihar called for a five-hour bandh in the state from 7 am on Thursday to protest the abuses hurled at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother from the stage during a recent event organised by the opposition.

The women wings of all NDA parties led the protest across the state, with party leaders and workers participating in different parts of the state.

BJP leaders called the bandh a befitting response to the opposition RJD and Congress.


"Women and men from the entire state participated in the bandh right from the morning. There was spontaneous reaction and those who came on the streets were hurt by the language used by opposition members for Prime Minister Modi's mother," the BJP's national media co-in charge Sanjay Mayukh told ET. "The people of Bihar sent out a loud message that Bihar is against such kind of language and culture, and they will give a befitting reply to the RJD and Congress in upcoming elections. Bihar is known for respect and not abuse, and the opposition is trying to defame Bihar pride across the country."

The JD (U)'s working president Sanjay Jha said that Bihar is never going to tolerate such behaviour by those who ran a government where these things were common.

"In the land of Mithila, which is known for respect and culture, one leader from the opposition's stage used such indecent language against PM Modi's mother. Mithila is the land of Sita Maa and the opposition stopped low to attack PM Modi," Jha told ET. "It was a successful bandh with the participation of all NDA allies and opposition leaders will have to apologise for their indecent behaviour."

The opposition RJD, on the other hand, claimed that the bandh only took a toll on people's normal life and that the behaviour of NDA supporters during the bandh was highly condemnable.

"The bandh was organised to protest the indecent words said by some for PM Modi's mother. During the day we witnessed a series of incidents of misbehaviour with women on the streets by BJP workers," the RJD's national spokesperson Jayant Jigyasu told ET. "Mother is a respected relation and it means the same, whether for the PM or a common citizen on the road. While protesting for the PM's mother, the BJP showed their unruly behaviour to the women and daughters of Bihar."