VIDEO: PM Modi Lashes Out At Congress, RJD, Accuses Them Of Disrespecting Chhath Festival, Celebrating Halloween

Patna: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused Congress and its ally, RJD, of disrespecting Indian traditions by calling the Chhath festival 'drama' while celebrating 'foreign festivals' like Halloween.

Addressing an election rally in Saharsa days before Bihar goes to polls, Modi targeted RJD chief Lalu Prasad, after his family recently shared photos of their Halloween celebration on social media.

“The royal families of Congress and RJD celebrate festivals of the world but mock the Chhath festival as drama,” he remarked.

Lalu is seen celebrating Halloween with his grandchildren as seen in a video shared by his daughter Rohini Acharya on October 31. He is seen laughing as his grandchildren — dressed in ghostly masks and spooky makeup — try to scare him playfully. Halloween has ancient Celtic origins and is widely celebrated across the world with eerie decorations, themed parties, costumes, and the popular tradition of trick-or-treating.

Sharpening his attack on Lalu a day after the video went viral on social media, Modi said, “These RJD and Congress people travel all over the world. We read about it on social media and feel ashamed, but they don’t find time to visit the Ram Temple.”

“There’s a temple built there for Nishad Raj, there’s also a temple for Lord Valmiki in Ayodhya, and one for Shabari Mata. If you have a problem with Ram, at least bow your head at the feet of Nishad Raj. Why are you ashamed of that? They won’t go. They’ll travel all over the world,” PM remarked.

Lalu had courted controversy after he had commented in February this year that the Kumbh had no meaning. “Faltu hai Kumbh (Is there any meaning to Kumbh? It is just meaningless),” he had remarked.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also accused Congress of taking a contract to finish its ally, RJD, as both parties were together only for power.

“Congress ne RJD ki lutiya dubane ki supari li hain” (Congress has taken a contract to ruin RJD completely). He said that both RJD and Congress were together only for power.

He also appealed to first time voters to exercise their franchise in favour of the NDA as it was going to form the government in the state again, as he also did it by identifying the wave when he was going to cast his vote for the first time . He said that people of Bihar should give such a crushing defeat to the “jungle raj wale” that they could not think “bad” about Bihar in future. He said that RJD had started taking revenge against people of Bihar when they gave a chance to NDA to form a government in 2005 as Lalu`s party stalled state`s development projects during the former UPA rule.

In Katihar, Modi said, “Congress knows that if the RJD loses this time too, its political future will be over, and Congress will capture the RJD's vote bank. This tussle to seize each other's vote bank has now become out in the open. You will see how, after the Bihar election defeat, a wave of abuse will start between RJD and Congress" he said.