Chirag’s mother ‘abused’ at RJD rally? Row erupts

Vijay Swaroop

PATNA: A political row erupted in Bihar on Thursday after a video of RJD workers allegedly hurling derogatory and casteist remarks towards LJP (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan’s mother, Veena Paswan, was widely circulated on social media, prompting the LJP and its ally, BJP, to lodge a complaint with Election Commission.

The alleged incident occurred during RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav’s poll rally in Jamui constituency on Tuesday. In the video, veracity of which HT could not verify, Yadav is seen addressing a poll rally while some party workers and supporters — their faces not visible in the clip — standing near the stage, abusing Paswan’s mother.

On Thursday, the LJP (Ram Vilas) and the BJP lodged a complaint with the poll body, seeking strict action against RJD leaders and workers under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and relevant sections of Schedule Caste/Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

“The way abusive words were used for NDA ally Chirag Paswan’s mother in Tejashwi Yadav’s rally is extremely condemnable. What is even more shameful is that Tejashwi did not stop them even though he was on the stage…,” BJP national general secretary and Bihar in-charge Vinod Tawde said in a post in Hindi on X.

Chirag Paswan expressed strong displeasure over the incident. “If I was at his place, I would have given an answer. I don’t think any family man would take this abuse…” Yadav said he has no information about the incident. “I was giving my speech, didn’t hear anything,” he said.