‘Bihar won’t forgive this insult’: PM Modi tears into Lalu over Ambedkar row

In a fiery attack from the heart of Bihar’s political battlefield, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 20 accused Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav of insulting B R Ambedkar, warning that the people of Bihar "will never forgive" such disrespect.

Addressing a packed public meeting in Siwan — his fourth visit to the poll-bound state this year and third in as many months — Modi seized on the recent controversy surrounding a viral video from Lalu’s birthday celebrations.

The footage, which triggered sharp criticism, showed a party supporter allegedly placing a portrait of Dr Ambedkar near Lalu’s feet. The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has since sought an explanation from Bihar’s top officials.

“This is not just an insult to Babasaheb Ambedkar, it is an insult to the values of equality and justice that he fought for,” Modi declared, drawing thunderous applause. “Bihar will never forgive those who repeatedly disrespect its icons.”

With assembly elections looming, Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its allies are aggressively using the controversy to corner the RJD-led opposition. Framing the battle as one between progress and dynastic politics, Modi said: “The Nitish government is working to bring investments and opportunities to Bihar. But the Congress and RJD are only interested in ‘parivaar ka vikas’ (family’s progress), not ‘sabka vikas’ (everyone’s progress). The public must vote out those who dragged Bihar into jungle raj.”

Highlighting his government’s development agenda, Modi showcased key infrastructure and manufacturing projects. In his visit, he flagged off the Vande Bharat Express connecting Patliputra with Gorakhpur and inaugurated a new state-of-the-art locomotive built at the Marhowrah Plant under the ‘Make in India’ initiative — a joint venture between GE Transportation (now Wabtec) and Indian Railways.

The factory, operational since 2018, is set to export 150 Evolution Series ES43ACmi locomotives to Guinea. “Bihar is poised to become a hub for Make in India,” Modi proclaimed, adding that India’s development strides were being lauded globally.

The high-stakes campaign visit underscores the BJP’s sharpened focus on Bihar, where the electoral battle is shaping up as a clash of narratives: inclusive growth versus dynasty-driven politics.