Congress Kerala unit's 'Bidis and Bihar' post sparks row; party issues apology

The Kerala unit of the Congress party has stirred a major controversy with a cryptic post on social media, linking the GST rate cut on bidis to Bihar, sparking a political storm ahead of the state’s upcoming assembly elections.

A few hours later, the party posted an apology on X, stating that its remark had been misinterpreted.

Also Read: Hail GST reform or slam it? Karnataka’s Congress govt in a fix

Congress issues apology

The Congress on Friday (September 5) issued an apology after its Kerala unit triggered a political storm with a controversial post that drew a parallel between Bihar and bidis while targeting the BJP over recent GST reforms.

The party later posted an apology on X, stating that its remark had been twisted and misinterpreted.

"We see that our jibe at Modi's election gimmick with GST rates is being twisted. Our apologises if you felt hurt," the post read.

Cryptic post sparks row

In a now-deleted post, the Congress said that "Bidis and Bihar start with B" and "cannot be considered a sin anymore", referring to the GST cut on the tobacco product.

The post was accompanied by a chart highlighting the proposed tax changes, cigars and cigarettes raised from 28 per cent to 40 per cent, tobacco from 28 per cent to 40 per cent, while bidis were slashed from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. The Congress unit later deleted the post.

As per the revised GST rates approved by the Council on Wednesday (September 3), the tax slab on bidis has been reduced. The rate on bidi wrapper leaves (tendu) was also reduced from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

JD(U) slams Congress

The remark drew sharp criticism from JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha, who termed it "an extremely shameful act by the Congress".

"B doesn’t just mean beedi, it also means Buddhi, which you lack! B also means budget, which irritates you whenever Bihar receives special assistance," Jha retorted.

Accusing the Congress of mocking Bihar’s people and heritage, Jha invoked the state’s legacy: "It was on this sacred land that Adishakti Janaki appeared, Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, and the first draft of the Constitution was written. Bihar gave India its first President and the call for Total Revolution that uprooted Congress’s dictatorial rule."

"By mocking Bihar, the Congress has not only insulted its people once again but also belittled the glorious history of the country and democracy," the Rajya Sabha MP added.

He further warned that the people of Bihar would deliver a “befitting reply” to Congress in the assembly elections — "not with the smoke of a beedi, but with the blow of votes."

Also Read: Opposition in Bihar to counter Modi’s ‘mother insult’ charge with aggression

'Insult to Bihar'

Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary also condemned the remark, calling it an "insult to the entire Bihar".

"First, they insulted the revered mother of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now they insult Bihar itself. This is the true character of Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed," Choudhary posted on X.

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla joined in, accusing the Congress of an "anti-Bihar mentality."

"If they say B is for Bidis and B is for Bihar, then they should also know C is for Congress and C is for corruption," he said in a video statement.

There has been no immediate response from Congress leaders.