Rahul Gandhi has responded sharply after Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party workers clashed in Patna Friday afternoon, in violence triggered by a video of foot soldiers from the former using 'extremely abusive language' to refer to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his mother, Heeraben Modi.
In a short post in Hindi on X the Congress MP said, "Truth and non-violence will prevail... untruth and violence cannot stand before them. Beat and break (us) as much as you want... but we will continue to protect the truth and the Constitution. Satyameva Jayate (the truth will always win)."
Mr Gandhi's remarks followed ugly scenes from the Bihar capital; BJP, Congress workers and supporters, each waving party colours, charged at each other outside the latter's state office.
Visuals shared by news agency ANI showed utter chaos; a mob of BJP workers invaded the Congress compound, forcing themselves past a few despairing cops and storming the gate.
सत्य और अहिंसा के आगे
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) August 29, 2025
असत्य और हिंसा टिक ही नहीं सकते।
मारो और तोड़ो, जितना मारना-तोड़ना है - हम सत्य और संविधान की रक्षा करते रहेंगे।
सत्यमेव जयते।
Once inside they vandalised property before Congress workers come out to engage them.
The video showed a man in a saffron dress smacking a flatbed lorry with a lathi while others cheer. Bihar Roadways Minister Nitin Nabin - a member of the BJP-Janata Dal United ruling alliance - said the Congress would receive a "befitting reply" for insulting Mr Modi's mother.
#WATCH | Patna, Bihar: BJP and Congress workers clash as the former staged a protest against the latter in front of the Congress office. pic.twitter.com/p1tt2bytzD
— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2025
The Congress' response was verbatim; a party worker told news agency ANI, "A befitting reply will be given. This is happening with involvement of (Chief Minister) Nitish Kumar..."
#WATCH | Patna | A Congress worker, Dr Ashutosh, says, "A befitting reply will be given. This is happening with the government's involvement. Nitish Kumar is doing wrong." pic.twitter.com/ZfprkvH44n
— ANI (@ANI) August 29, 2025
On Thursday a video of Congress workers at a local event in Darbhanga district went viral.
Organised because Rahul Gandhi was passing through the area - though he was not scheduled to, and did not, make a stop - things turned ugly after supporters of a local Congress leader, Naushad Alam, began insulting chants about the Prime Minister and his family.
READ | BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi For "Shameful Abuse" Of PM At Bihar Rally
The video prompted furious pushback from the BJP.
"Tejashwi (Yadav, the RJD leader) and Rahul used such dirty language from their stage... it is not even possible to repeat the words... This is such a mistake. Even if Rahul Gandhi apologised by doing sit-ups holding his ear... for a thousand times... the people of Bihar will not forgive. Extremely shameful."
READ | "Stain On Democracy": Amit Shah Slams 'Abusive' Language Against PM
Home Minister Amit Shah has been particularly scathing.
He condemned the use of abusive language as a 'stain on the country's democracy'.
He also hit out at the Congress' 'hatred' of the Prime MInister, saying, "The Gandhi family has left no stone unturned in spreading hatred against Modiji".
Perhaps a little slow to respond to the initial attacks, the Congress swung into action this afternoon.
Party spokersperson Pawan Khera claimed "BJP agents" had "infiltrated" the Darbhanga event and "raised the wrong slogans". Playing down the issue, he accused the BJP of manufacturing this outrage "so people's attention can be diverted from the Voter Rights yatra".
इन्हीं के एजेंट हमारी सभा में घुस कर ग़लत नारे लगाते हैं, और फिर यही लोग इसे मुद्दा बनाते हैं, ताकि वोटर अधिकार यात्रा से लोगों का ध्यान भटकाया जा सके। पहले सेनेटरी नैपकिन मुद्दे पर भी इन्होंने फोटोशॉप करते हुए पकड़े गए थे। इनकी चोरी अब पकड़ में आ गई है। इसी कारण ये घबराए हुए हैं… pic.twitter.com/fx6FJA6ER5
— Pawan Khera 🇮🇳 (@Pawankhera) August 29, 2025
"That is why they are panicking and created a ruckus (referring to the Patna clash). Their ministers and MLAs are attacking our workers... but the country and our countrymen are watching all this and now their goondaism will absolutely not be tolerated."
The police have arrested one individual - 20-year-old Mohd Rizvi, an associate of Naushad - over the video and filed a case against Mr Gandhi after a complaint from BJP's Krishna Singh.
The run-up to the Assembly election later this year in Bihar, a state where political tension and rhetoric are always on edge - has been further roiled by the Election Commission's 'special intensive revision'.
READ | "Those Left Out Can Submit Aadhaar...": Poll Body On Bihar Draft Roll
The opposition has called it a move to disenfranchise lakhs who might vote for them.
And the Congress has accused the BJP and EC of 'collusion' to commit voter fraud, a charge both groups have denied. The BJP-JDU countered by accusing the opposition of trying to shield 'fake' voters, a charge buttressed by reports foreign nationals were found registered as voters.
Challenges to the SIR - which has struck 65 lakh people off the voter list for reasons including death and shifting of residence - are being heard by the Supreme Court.
To combat this 'voter fraud', Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders are on a 'Voter Adhikar', or 'voter rights', rally across Bihar. The rally began August 17 and is to end in Patna on Monday.
With input from agencies
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