Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an exclusive interview to Network18 Group Editor-in-Chief Rahul Joshi on Wednesday, said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi would “pay the price” for his recent remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of insulting Chhath Maiya and her devotees.
Shah said Gandhi’s comments went beyond political criticism, stating, “Rahul Gandhi has not insulted PM Modi, but he has insulted Chhathi Maiya and her devotees. He will face the consequences of this in the Bihar elections.”
Responding to Gandhi’s jibe that Prime Minister Modi would “dance on stage” for votes, Shah said, “Rahul Gandhi will have to pay the price for this in the elections. He has insulted Modi ji’s mother and made derogatory remarks before, but each time he has done so, the lotus has bloomed even brighter from the mud of lowered standards.”
Expressing confidence in the voters, Shah added, “The people of Bihar will not forget the insult to Chhath Maiya and Modi ji.”
The remarks came after Rahul Gandhi, addressing a rally in Bihar, urged voters not to be “swayed by Narendra Modi’s drama,” adding that the Prime Minister “would be ready to dance on stage if it fetched votes.”
The statement has triggered a political storm ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections. The BJP accused Gandhi of insulting the cultural and religious sentiments of the people, while the Opposition continued to attack the ruling party over unemployment and governance issues.
BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari alleged that Gandhi was “mocking voters and Indian democracy,” saying he “speaks like a local goon” and has “insulted every poor voter of India and Bihar who supported Prime Minister Modi.”
BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya also slammed Gandhi, saying he had “started his Bihar campaign by insulting the great festival of folk faith, Chhathi Maiya.” Malviya accused Gandhi of “belittling local traditions and striking at the devotion and faith of crores of people observing Chhath Mahaparva,” calling the remarks “deeply reprehensible.”
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