NDA’s Bihar bandh over remark on PM’s mother sees partial shutdown

Patna: The Bihar bandh called by the women’s wings of NDA partners from 7am to 12 noon on Thursday in protest against abusive remarks made about PM Narendra Modi’s late mother during the opposition’s Voter Adhikar Yatra in Darbhanga on Aug 27 evoked a mixed response in several districts.

The bandh saw shops closed in many towns while schools and essential services functioned largely as usual.In Patna, workers of BJP, JD(U) and other NDA partners gathered in large numbers, blocking intersections such as the Income Tax roundabout. People were requested to keep their shops closed and remain at home. Patna Sahib MP Ravi Shankar Prasad said, “The more the opposition leaders abuse Modi, the more he emerges stronger.

The Congress and RJD reaction to the Darbhanga incident reflected the arrogance of Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi.

”BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal, along with MPs, MLAs and party office-bearers, took part in protests across the state. “Rahul and Tejashwi should apologise to the country for the incident, which has insulted our culture,” Jaiswal said. Union minister Chirag Paswan also condemned the remarks, saying they had “deeply hurt public sentiments.”

In Nalanda, Union minister Kiren Rijiju was briefly held up on NH-20 near Patasang village before being allowed to proceed to Rajgir.In Darbhanga, where the remark was made, ministers, MPs and MLAs staged a symbolic protest by beating plates on the roads.In Madhepura, most business establishments remained shut, barring eateries and medical shops, as NDA workers marched through the town raising slogans. In Begusarai, highways and state roads were blocked for a few hours, with marches and a bike rally taken out by BJP and JD(U) leaders.Khagaria saw markets closed during the bandh hours, though schools and colleges functioned. Protesters briefly sat on railway tracks at Khagaria station, while vehicular movement on NH-31 and NH-107 slowed. In Sitamarhi, the bandh was peaceful with a procession led by NDA leaders passing through the town as shops stayed closed for half the day.In Ara, major markets including Gopali Chowk, Jail Road and Station Road remained shut till noon. BJP MLA Amrendra Pratap Singh led a protest march in the town, saying, “There is a spontaneous bandh in Ara.” Some schools stayed closed and private buses kept off the road, though auto-rickshaws continued to operate.(With inputs from Deo Narayan Saha in Madhepura, Rajiv Kumar in Begusarai, N P Thakur in Khagaria, Shyam Kishore Singh in Sitamarhi and Praveen in Ara)