Posters proclaiming BJP leaders as Indians have propped up in the state capital, after some Congress workers put up posters with the caste and community of prominent leaders including national president Rahul Gandhi and state unit president Madan Mohan Jha.
The BJP posters depict all its leaders including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, national president Amit Shah and deputy CM Sushil Kumar Modi as “Bhartiya” (Indian).
The Congress saw red.
“One should not forget that ahead of the 2014 elections while addressing a rally PM Narendra Modi had introduced himself as coming from a backward community,” said senior Congress leader and MLC Prem Chand Mishra. “BJP leader and Jharkhand chief minister comes to
Bihar to take part in the functions of a particular caste group. One of the BJP leaders is busy revealing his gotra these days.” The gotra jab was at Union minister Giriraj Singh, who has declared that he should be called Shandilya Giriraj Singh.
Asked about the posters of his own party in which castes of leaders had been depicted, Mishra became defensive.
“The poster had been put up by some over-enthusiastic party workers and not by the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee. Such things should be avoided,” he said.
The BJP leaders were not impressed with the Congress defence.
“Even though the poster has not been issued by the party, it still depicts the difference in the mindset of the two parties. While Congress is using divisive techniques to attract voters, the BJP would contest the poll on the issues of nationalism and development,” said party spokesperson Sanjay Singh Tiger.
The Congress poster at Rajapur Pul on Thursday. Picture by Nagendra Kumar Singh