Congress on Monday accused the Bihar BJP of using casteist slur to malign Opposition leaders after a video posted on the BJP’s Instagram handle referred to them as a “herd of Chuhras.”
The video includes clips from the ongoing Voter Adhikar Yatra, led by Congress MP and leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav.
“‘Chuhra’ is a casteist slur,” Congress leader Pawan Khera said, noting its roots in “Shudra,” one of the four varnas in the Indian caste hierarchy. The party accused the BJP of using the term to humiliate Dalits and Opposition leaders.
“In fact, this is the ideology of BJP-RSS — hatred towards Dalits is ingrained in its DNA, which inevitably comes out from time to time,” the chairman of the AICC media and publicity department wrote.
Khera added that the Constitution framed by BR Ambedkar serves as “a strong shield against the ideology of BJP and RSS” and warned that “no attack on the dignity and honor of the Dalit community will be tolerated.”
Congress also announced plans to take legal action. “We will file a case under appropriate sections against this shameful act,” the statement said.
The Bihar BJP has not responded to the allegations as of Monday evening.
The 1,300-km yatra was launched on August 17 from Sasaram. It will cover more than 20 districts over a period of 16 days, and conclude with a rally in Patna on September 1.