Congress-RJD leaders insulting 'Chhathi Maiyya', Bihar will never forgive them: PM Modi
Muzaffarpur(PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday alleged that Congress and RJD leaders were insulting 'Chhathi Maiyya' to get votes in the Bihar elections, and the people of the state will not forgive them for centuries.
The statement came a day after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the PM had tried to enact a "drama" by planning to take a dip in the Yamuna at Delhi on the occasion of Chhath Puja.
Addressing an election rally in Muzaffarpur, where Gandhi had held one of his public meetings on Wednesday, Modi said, "It is my first tour of Bihar after Chhath Puja, which is now famous world over. The festival stands not just for devotion but also for equality, a reason why my government is trying to get a UNESCO heritage tag for this festival."
"I listen to Chhath songs while travelling. I was once moved to listen to one of these songs rendered by a girl from Nagaland. But while this son of yours is busy ensuring that Chhath gets the honour that is its due, the Congress-RJD people are heaping scorn on the festival, calling it a drama, a nautanki," said Modi, without mentioning any leader by name.
Gandhi had alleged that Modi gave up his plans to take a dip when it came to light that the spot he had chosen was a puddle created with clean, piped water, since the Yamuna was extremely polluted and not fit for a bath.
Modi said, "Look at the depths to which these people can stoop while seeking votes. This is an insult to the festival of Chhath that Bihar will not forget for centuries."
He alleged that the relationship between the RJD and Congress was like water and oil, and they came together to "grab power at any cost, so that they can loot Bihar".
"The biggest news in this election is not that abuses are being hurled at me. The biggest news is the infighting between Congress and the RJD. Both parties are pulling each other down despite being allies. The greed for power is the only thing that has brought them together," he alleged.
Terming his opponents as "naamdar" (people with a pedigree), the PM said, "They cannot stomach the fact that a backward class leader, who used to sell tea, has attained such heights. They need to know I do not owe my achievements to their benediction but to the blessings of the people and the Constitution framed by Babasaheb Ambedkar."
He alleged that Ambedkar was insulted by the Congress and RJD leaders.
He claimed that all surveys were showing that the RJD-led coalition would face a humiliating defeat in the assembly polls, so it was making "unrealistic promises".
"All surveys are indicating that the NDA is heading for a big victory. And the RJD-Congress combine will face the worst drubbing in their history," he claimed.
Modi also alleged that the Congress-RJD combine stood for five 'Ks' -- 'katta' (country-made weapons – lawlessness), 'kroorta' (cruelty), 'katuta' (social resentment), 'kushasan' (misgovernance) and corruption.
He remarked, with a hint of alarm, "What type of songs are being played at the rallies of RJD. These speak of 'katta', 'chhura' (dagger), 'dunaali' (double-barreled guns), and kidnapping sisters and daughters."
Modi claimed 35,000-40,000 abductions took place during the RJD regime in the state, and "goons used to loot vehicle showrooms".
"The NDA, on the other hand, stands for preserving and honouring cultural heritage and ensuring all-round development of all states, including Bihar," asserted Modi, who began his speech by making the crowds chant 'phir ek baar NDA sarkar' and 'phir ek baar susashan sarkar' (NDA government once again, good governance once again).
He asked those who "looted" railways how they could develop connectivity in the state.
Known for peppering his speeches with local flavour, the PM uttered a few sentences in local dialect Vajjika and said, "you people have such a sweet way of speaking", noting that Muzaffarpur was famous for "shahi litchi", and luminaries like freedom fighter Khudiram Bose and renowned Hindi litterateurs Ram Vriksh Benipuri and Janaki Vallabh Shastri.
The PM, who spoke of land for jobs scam, in which RJD supremo Lalu Prasad and INDIA bloc's CM candidate Tejashwi Yadav are named as accused, also made a mention of "Golu murder case", an incident of 2001 when kidnapping and murder of a bank employee's eight years old son had left the north Bihar town on the boil.
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Deep societal faultlines persist despite 75 years of independence: Justice Ujjal Bhuyan
Judge cites denial of home to Muslim girl, opposition to Dalit women cooking mid-day meals
Hyderabad, February 23, 2026: Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan has said that despite repeated affirmations of constitutional morality by courts, deep societal faultlines rooted in caste and religious discrimination continue to shape everyday realities in India.
Speaking at a seminar on “Constitutional Morality and the Role of District Judiciary” organised by the Telangana Judges Association and the Telangana State Judicial Academy in Hyderabad, Justice Bhuyan reflected on the gap between constitutional ideals and social practices.
He cited a recent instance involving his daughter’s friend, a PhD scholar at a private university in Noida, who was denied accommodation in South Delhi after her surname revealed her Muslim identity. According to Justice Bhuyan, the landlady bluntly informed her that no accommodation was available once her religious background became known.
In another example from Odisha, he referred to resistance by some parents to the government’s mid-day meal programme because the food was prepared by Dalit women employed as cooks. He noted that some parents had objected aggressively and refused to allow their children to consume meals cooked by members of the Scheduled Caste community.
Describing these incidents as “the tip of the iceberg,” Justice Bhuyan said they reveal how far society remains from the benchmark of constitutional morality even 75 years into the Republic. He observed that while the Constitution lays down standards of equality and dignity, the morality practised within homes and communities often diverges sharply from those values.
He emphasised that constitutional morality requires governance through the rule of law rather than the rule of popular opinion. Referring to the evolution of the doctrine through judicial decisions, he cited Naz Foundation v Union of India, in which the Delhi High Court read down Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, holding that popular morality cannot restrict fundamental rights under Article 21. Though the judgment was later overturned in Suresh Kumar Koushal v Naz Foundation, the Supreme Court ultimately restored and expanded the principle in Navtej Singh Johar v Union of India, affirming that constitutional morality must prevail over majoritarian views.
“In our constitutional scheme, it is the constitutionality of the issue before the court that is relevant, not the dominant or popular view,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also addressed the functioning of the district judiciary, underlining that trial courts are the first point of contact for most litigants and form the foundation of the justice delivery system. He stressed that due importance must be given to the recording of evidence and adjudication of bail matters.
Highlighting the role of High Courts, he said their supervisory jurisdiction under Article 227 of the Constitution is intended as a shield to correct grave jurisdictional errors, not as a mechanism to substitute the discretion or factual appreciation of trial judges.
He recalled that several distinguished judges, including Justice H R Khanna, Justice A M Ahmadi, and Justice Fathima Beevi, began their careers in the district judiciary.
On representation within the judicial system, Justice Bhuyan noted that Telangana has made significant strides in gender inclusion. Out of a sanctioned strength of 655 judicial officers in the Telangana Judicial Service, 478 are currently serving, of whom 283 are women, exceeding 50 per cent representation. He added that members of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, minority communities, and persons with disabilities are also represented in the state’s judiciary.
He observed that greater representation of women, marginalised communities, persons with disabilities, and sexual minorities would help make the judiciary more inclusive and reflective of India’s diversity. “The judiciary must represent all the colours of the rainbow and become a rainbow institution,” he said.
Justice Bhuyan also referred to the recent restoration by the Supreme Court of the requirement of a minimum three years of practice at the Bar for entry-level judicial posts. While acknowledging that the requirement ensures practical exposure, he cautioned that its impact on women aspirants, especially those from rural or small-town backgrounds facing social and financial constraints, would need to be carefully observed over time.
Concluding his address, he reiterated that the justice system must strive to bridge the gap between constitutional ideals and lived realities, ensuring that the rule of law remains paramount.
