Congress post on ‘Bihar and bidis’ leads to controversy; BJP says state has been insulted

Union minister Nityanand Rai on Friday launched a scathing attack on the Congress, saying the party takes "pleasure" in insulting Bihar and its people.

This comes after the Kerala unit of the Congress shared a controversial 'X' post, captioned, "Bidis and Bihar start with B".

However, after facing the backlash, the post was deleted.

Rai said the people of Bihar would teach a lesson to those intending to hurt Bihar and its “self-respect”.

“Congress leaders across the country and all RJD leaders in Bihar take a pleasure in insulting Biharis. They take pride in humiliating Biharis and Bihari pride. People of Bihar will teach lesson to all such people who hurt Biharis and their self-respect. What will they (Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav) say (about this); it is they who make them say all this," Rai said.

The 'X' post from the Kerala Congress targeted the recent GST reforms brought by the Centre, where the tax rates on cigars, cigarettes and tobacco were increased to 40 per cent. In contrast, the rates on bidis were brought down from 28 to 18 per cent.

Bihar Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary also criticised the Congress, asserting that following the insult of PM Narendra Modi's mother, Bihar is now being insulted, which shows the “true character of the Congress”.