Patna: A political row has erupted in Bihar after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unveiled a controversial poster in Patna on Wednesday to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
The poster, put up by Krishna Singh Kallu, a member of the BJP’s state working committee, depicts PM Modi’s late mother, Heeraben Modi, as Goddess Durga. She is shown slaying figures portrayed as Mahishasura, a demon in Hindu mythology, who in this depiction represent opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav, Akhilesh Yadav, Hemant Soren, M.K. Stalin and Revanth Reddy.
Text on the poster reads: “India will not tolerate the insult of its mother… A mother who destroys enemies.” It also features images of PM Modi alongside birthday greetings such as “May your life be long, may your fortunes awaken.”
The release of the poster coincided with celebrations across Bihar, where BJP workers organised special prayers in temples and arranged screenings of a documentary on PM Modi’s life.
The imagery has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who accused the BJP of denigrating political rivals and exploiting religious symbols for partisan gain.
