New Delhi: A social media post by the Kerala unit of the Congress party drew sharp criticism from the BJP and its allies for allegedly mocking the state of Bihar. The now-deleted post on X (formerly Twitter) linked the GST cut on bidis to Bihar, saying, "Bidis and Bihar start with B and cannot be considered a sin anymore."
The comment came after the GST Council’s decision to reduce the tax on bidis from 28% to 18%. While the Congress has not issued an official clarification, the post was shortly taken down following the backlash.
Have a look at the now-deleted post here:
BJP, JDU Call Post 'Insult To Bihar'
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and BJP leader Samrat Choudhary labelled the post an “insult to the entire Bihar”, and said, “First, the insult to the revered mother of our honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and now the insult to the entire Bihar, this is the true character of the Congress."
JDU leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also criticised the Congress, calling it “another extremely shameful act”.
“Let me tell you that B doesn't just mean bidi, it also means buddhi (intellect), which you lack. B also means budget, which makes you jealous when Bihar receives special assistance,” Jha said in a Hindi-language post on X. Have a look:
He further warned that Bihar's electorate would deliver a “befitting reply” in the upcoming assembly elections, due later this year.
Centre's GST Cut Sparks Controversy
The political row follows the GST Council’s decision to revise tax rates across various categories. The tax on bidis was brought down to 18%, while the rate on tendu leaves (used to roll bidis) was slashed from 18% to 5%.
The Council also approved a proposal to simplify GST into a two-slab structure of 5% and 18%, replacing the earlier 5%, 12%, 18% and 28% slabs. A special 40% rate is being considered for select items, including tobacco products.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla also criticised the Congress post on X as reflecting an “anti-Bihar mentality”. He wrote, “If they’re saying B for Bidis and B for Bihar, then they should also know C for Congress and C for corruption.”
