Bihar Assembly Elections 2025 | Chhath vs Halloween row emerges as BJP slams Lalu, RJD for celebrating 'international' festival

PM Modi was among those that raised the issue; at a rally at Saharsa, he alleged that the RJD-Congress combine were busy celebrating “international” festivals.

New Delhi: Picking on the video of Halloween celebrations at the Yadav household where RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav is seen with his grandchildren, the BJP has now built a narrative of ‘Chhath vs Halloween’, and alleged that the RJD’s first family does not care about Chhath as much as it does about Halloween.

PM Modi was among those who raised the issue; at a rally at Saharsa, he alleged that the RJD-Congress combine were busy celebrating “international” festivals.

“They keep going abroad.. The royal family of Congress, the royal family of RJD … They celebrate all the festivals, and they enjoy celebrating international festivals. But when it comes to Chhath Mahaparv, they ask what is it. It is shameful,” the prime minister said.

The charge might also be seen as a veiled attack against Tejaswi’s marriage to a Christian woman. The BJP’s Kisan Morcha also took to X to take a dig with videos of Lalu celebrating Halloween, and of him saying “Kumbh ka kya matlad hai (what is the meaning of Kumbh).

“Don't forget people of Bihar, this is the same Lalu Yadav, who had called the Mahakumbh of faith and spirituality useless and is celebrating the British festival Halloween. Bihar residents will not vote for anyone who hurts faith (sic),” the post read.”

Home minister Amit Shah too mounted an attack. At a rally in Shivhar, Shah said that Rahul Gandhi has just insulted Chhathi Maiya too. Shah said that when Rahul Gandhi pointed at a pond alongside the Yamuna in Delhi so that Modi could take a dip, he was “insulting” Chhathi Maiya. “This time, along with Modi, you have insulted Chhathi Maiya,” Shah said.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shot back, and said that PM Modi should have a “mantralya” (ministry) for “apmaan” (insults). “Instead of talking about development, the PM keeps accusing every opposition leader of insulting the country. He should form a new ministry, ‘apmaan mantralaya’, because that’s what his government seems most focused on,” she said at a rally.