Patna: The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced a bandh in Bihar on September 4, to be observed from 7am to 12 noon. Emergency services and railway operations have been exempted to minimise disruption to the public, according to state party officials.
At a press conference held at the BJP office, state president Dilip Jaiswal urged citizens to support the bandh peacefully. He condemned the “lewd abuses” directed at the mother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which were reportedly made from a Congress and RJD platform in Darbhanga, calling the incident “a blot on democracy.” Jaiswal said that, as mother is traditionally regarded as a form of God, such insults bring shame to the people of Bihar. He also criticised opposition leaders Tejashwi Yadav and Rahul Gandhi for not expressing regret over the incident.
In a move described as unprecedented, the BJP Mahila Morcha and women’s units from across NDA parties will lead the bandh. Jaiswal asserted that “insults to mothers and sisters will not be tolerated” and that women would ensure the bandh’s success.
Umesh Kushwaha, state president of the Janata Dal (United), echoed the criticism of the opposition, saying that the behaviour of Mahagathbandhan leaders had tarnished the democratic process. He added that women across Bihar were expected to respond actively, emphasising that the bandh would remain peaceful with no traffic disruption.
Raju Tiwari, a leader of an NDA constituent party, accused opposition leaders of making abuse a recurring feature of their political strategy. He said the incident reflected “their political culture and mindset.”
