PM targets Oppn over ‘abusive language’ against his mother

Patna: In his first reaction to the alleged abuses hurled at his mother during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said he was “deeply pained” by the incident, but asserted that while he might forgive the RJD and the Congress, “the people of Bihar will never pardon them”.

Taking a dig at the Opposition parties over the recent incident in Darbhanga, he said using expletives against his mother was nothing for those who insult ‘Mother India’, and that they should be punished.

“My late mother had nothing to do with politics, so what was her fault; why was she abused?” he questioned.

“I may forgive them, but the people of Bihar will never pardon them for insulting my mother. People of the state must say that they will punish the leaders of these parties in the coming days,” he said.

“People of Bihar must demand answers from RJD and Congress leaders... in every street and neighbourhood, only one voice should be heard – ‘we won’t tolerate insults to a mother, we will not tolerate RJD’s tyranny and Congress’ attacks’,” he said.

The PM was addressing a gathering in Delhi while virtually inaugurating a new cooperative for the women associated with self-help groups in Bihar.

“Bihar is the land of Maa Janki... it has always given respect to women. This is the land where Chhath Puja is celebrated. My mother was abused from the dais of RJD and Congress... I had never imagined such a thing would happen... it was an insult to the mothers and daughters of Bihar... people of the state will never forgive them,” Modi said.

“I am my mother’s son... I am sharing my pain with you,” he said.

“I have been working tirelessly for the welfare of the women in the country... the mother who gave birth to me asked me to serve the motherland, which I am doing. She had never brought a saree for herself and saved the money for us. I must say that the position of a mother is more than that of God,” the PM said.

Modi said that those who hurl abuses at mothers and sisters consider women weak.

“Their mindset makes them treat women as objects of exploitation and oppression. Whenever people with an anti-women mentality came to power, mothers, daughters and sisters had to endure suffering the most... this happened during the ‘mafia raaj’ of RJD,” he said.

“During the RJD era, crime was rampant in Bihar, and the state witnessed cases of murder, extortion and rape every day. The RJD government gave protection to murderers and rapists. Women had to bear the brunt... so it was them who ousted the RJD from power and now the regional party wants to take revenge on women for that,” the PM alleged.

The Congress had never been able to tolerate any person from the backward community rising to a position of power, and that is why they are unleashing a barrage of abuses, Modi claimed.