Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, arrived in Bihar on Friday to a barrage of criticism from several NDA leaders, including Union Ministers Jitan Ram Manjhi and Giriraj Singh, and Bihar minister Nitin Naveen.
Rahul’s visit is part of a broader Congress campaign to revive the party’s presence in Bihar ahead of the Assembly elections and engage with grassroots communities and marginalised sections.
Kicking off his Bihar visit from Gaya, Rahul paid tributes to Dashrath Manjhi, popularly known as the “Mountain Man”. He visited the Dashrath Manjhi Memorial, accompanied by members of Manjhi’s family. The “Mountain Man”, who lived in Gehlaur village near Gaya, had carved a path 110 m long, 9.1 m wide and 7.7 m deep through a ridge of hills, using only a hammer and chisel. After 22 years of hard work, Manjhi shortened the travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya from 55 km to 15 km.
Speaking in Rajgir in Nalanda, Rahul said, “My aim is caste census. In Lok Sabha, in front of Modi ji, I told him that caste census would be conducted. And you know he has a habit of surrendering. Trump has said 11 times in public that he made Narendra Modi surrender. But Narendra Modi ji cannot utter a word because it is the truth...They will never get a genuine caste census done because the day they get it done, their politics will end.”
During his day-long visit to the poll-bound state, the Congress leader is scheduled to interact with several women’s groups in Gaya district. In Nalanda, he will address the “Samvidhan Sammelan” at the Rajgir International Convention Centre. He is also scheduled to visit the iconic Mahabodhi Mahavihara Temple in Bodh Gaya before leaving for Delhi.
Responding sharply to Rahul’s visit, Union MSME Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, in a post on social media platform X, welcomed Rahul to what he called the “new Bihar”, contrasting it with the alleged lawlessness during the RJD-Congress rule two decades ago. “Welcome Rahul Gandhi, to the good governance in Bihar. Bihar is no longer the same that Lalu Prasad’s RJD and the Gandhi family left us 20 years ago... If Rahul Gandhi had come to Bihar during Lalu Prasad’s rule, he could have been kidnapped,” Manjhi wrote, suggesting that Sonia Gandhi would have had to negotiate with criminals through Lalu Prasad for her son’s release.
Union Minister Giriraj Singh accused Rahul of actions that “defame the Indian Army”. “This man speaks the language of Pakistan. He has insulted our Army’s symbols, and that is an act of treason,” said Giriraj.
Bihar Road Construction Minister Nitin Naveen accused Rahul and the Congress of disrespecting Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar and demanded an apology to the nation. “Rahul Gandhi should tell the nation why his party never gave due respect to Babasaheb Ambedkar. The exploitation of women was also at its peak during Congress rule,” Naveen alleged in Patna.
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