Public empathy for Modi's mother unlikely to translate into votes in Bihar

Sensing a political opportunity in poll-bound Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has seized on alleged abuse directed at him and his late mother by a man during the recently concluded Voter Adhikar Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi and other Opposition leaders.

Also read | Opposition in Bihar to counter Modi’s ‘mother insult’ charge with aggression

Following his emotional outburst on Tuesday, Modi signalled to BJP leaders and workers that the insult came from the RJD–Congress stage, framing it as not just a personal attack but an affront to all people, especially women.

BJP in agitation mode

Wasting no time, BJP leaders and workers launched protests across Bihar, from district headquarters to block level, starting September 2. The party also enforced a five-hour Bihar Bandh on September 4 to denounce the abuse, with all NDA allies, including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s JD(U), extending support. The shutdown, however, drew a mixed response.

The BJP, it is suspected, is not only raising this emotive issue but also trying to connect with voters and gain mileage with the Bihar Assembly polls just weeks away.

The controversy has galvanised the political atmosphere and become a hot topic of discussion. While most people clearly oppose abuse against any mother, seen as a symbol of love, respect, and honour, they also seem to recognise the politics behind turning it into an emotive election issue. As a result, public opinion remains divided, reflecting the ground reality.

Mixed reactions from people

Vinod Choudhary, a Dalit daily wage worker, admitted he knew little about the episode until informed about Modi’s remarks. "This is wrong, we stand with Modi,” he said, stressing that he has voted for the BJP for over a decade.

Not too far from him, another labourer, Meena Devi, reacted sharply. “Poor women face abuse and humiliation every day. Tolerating insult has become part of our lives. Modi is powerful; he is making abuse against his mother a big issue. But what about us? Who will fill our stomachs? We have to struggle daily to earn a livelihood. Modi will not feed us,” she said. “Leaders should talk about jobs, improving the lives of common people, health and education, not about abuse or personal matters,” she added.

Arvind Kumar Rai, a resident of Birla Colony, Patna, told The Federal: “We are least concerned about Modi and the BJP, as our support is firmly with Lalu’s RJD. I, too, oppose the use of abusive language against Modi, but he should also learn to respect others. Modi himself has used vulgar words for Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Shashi Tharoor’s (deceased) wife. He should apologise first. I don’t think this emotive issue will work here.”

“No one supports abusing Modi’s mother or anyone else. But this is neither a political nor an election issue in Bihar. Modi is trying to hold Congress and RJD responsible and is playing the emotional card, but it won’t change much. Ultimately, people here vote along caste lines; it all depends on social equations,” said Vivek Kumar Rai, a building materials supplier in Kankarbagh colony.

Critics question Modi’s stance

Kanchan Bala, a women’s rights activist, said this is not the first time Modi has invoked his mother to seek sympathy. “His visit to meet his mother was turned into a highly publicised event, carefully designed to show how much he cares for her. But the truth is, caring for one’s mother is a private matter, not something for publicity,” she remarked.

Also read | Tejashwi calls PM Modi’s emotional outburst ‘impure politics’

Manoj Kumar, a resident of Beur in Patna, questioned Modi’s claim, saying, “If the Opposition really wanted to target him, would Congress or RJD be foolish enough to use a ‘puncture man’? The arrested youth isn’t even linked to their parties. Rahul and Tejashwi covered 1,300 km across 20 districts with massive support. Why would they need such tactics? So far, police haven’t proved he was an agent of Congress or RJD.”

Md Reyaz, a local businessman and activist who claims to have first promoted the Har Ghar Tiranga message, said, “We all respect everyone’s mother, including Modi’s. No one supports such abuse. But what about the BJP’s own record? Modi himself has used objectionable language against Sonia Gandhi and stayed silent when others abused women. Everyone condemned the remark against his mother, but turning it into a political issue won’t work. People know what the real issues are.”

BJP’s ‘desperate attempt’

Pushpender Kumar, a former TISS professor in Patna, said Modi and the BJP are using a personal abuse episode to blunt the impact of Rahul Gandhi’s issue-based Voter Adhikar Yatra. “Rahul’s march was about voter rights, not elections. But Modi has dragged politics to a low by turning a personal slight into an election plank. No one supports abuse of any mother, yet Modi himself has stayed silent when his party leaders insulted other women or when atrocities like the Manipur violence occurred. By invoking his mother, the BJP hopes to rally supporters hit by anti-incumbency, but it’s a desperate attempt,” he said.

A political analyst noted that the controversy may help the BJP consolidate its base but is unlikely to attract new voters. “Modi projected himself as a victim, saying he could forgive the abuser but the people of Bihar and India would not tolerate the insult.” The analyst said this was a calculated move to forge emotional bonds, but in semi-feudal Bihar, where poor and marginalised communities dominate, voters tend to prioritise real issues over sentiment.

Family seeks forgiveness

On August 27, Md Rizvi, a 20-year-old school dropout who runs a roadside puncture shop, hurled abuses at PM Modi and his mother from a stage in Darbhanga during a Congress event welcoming Rahul Gandhi’s Voter Adhikar Yatra. After a video of the incident went viral, police arrested Rizvi, and a court sent him to 14 days in judicial custody.

Also read | Why Oppn wants to keep mum as Modi rakes up 'mother insult' row

Back in Rizvi’s Bhapura village, the family insists he acted alone. His father, Mohammad Anis, who runs another tyre puncture shop, said: “My son made a mistake. He has no political links. We apologise to Modiji and the people.” Rizvi’s mother, a heart patient, was reportedly shocked by his arrest and pleaded for leniency. Neighbours described Rizvi as a wayward youth but expressed disbelief that he would be at the centre of such a storm.

Multiple FIRs have been filed by BJP supporters against Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav across Bihar. Interestingly, local police confirmed that when the accused was abusing Modi, neither Rahul nor Tejashwi was present on the stage. Despite this, BJP leaders, from Amit Shah to state president Dileep Jaiswal, have directly attacked Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, holding them morally responsible.

Opposition fights back

On the other hand, RJD chief Lalu Prasad hit out at Modi, questioning how he could campaign for Prajwal Revanna, accused of rape. He reminded that Modi had once referred to Sonia Gandhi as a “jersey cow,” and had also cast doubts on the DNA of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Tejashwi Yadav too targeted the Prime Minister, saying: “A mother is a mother. We oppose any abuse. But was it not Modi who called Sonia Gandhi a ‘jersey cow’? Who made DNA remarks against Nitish Kumar? BJP leaders repeatedly insult women, yet the prime minister remains silent.”