BJP Slams Kerala Congress Over Social Media Post Comparing Bihar to Bidis

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday strongly criticized the Kerala unit of the Congress after it posted a controversial message on X, drawing parallels between the state of Bihar and bidis (thin hand-rolled cigarettes). The post, which also highlighted proposed changes to GST rates on tobacco products, read: “Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore.”

The remark sparked a political storm, prompting the Congress to delete the post. Later, the party issued an apology, claiming that its comments on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “election gimmick” had been “twisted” out of context.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla, reacting to the controversy, questioned whether Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Bihar Opposition Leader Tejashwi Yadav endorsed the comparison. “After abusing PM Modi ji’s mother, Congress now compares Bihar with bidi! Does Tejashwi Yadav support this? Their hatred for Bihar is evident,” Poonawalla wrote on X.

The outrage was echoed by several Bihar leaders. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the remark as an insult to the state: “First, the insult to the revered mother of our Prime Minister, and now the insult to the entire Bihar—this is the true character of the Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed.”

Vijay Kumar Sinha, Bihar’s other Deputy Chief Minister, demanded action against the Kerala Congress unit. “From Lord Buddha to Mahavira and Guru Gobind Singh, all have their roots in Bihar. Insulting Bihar is akin to insulting Mother India,” he stated.

Bihar BJP president Dilip Jaiswal also condemned the remark, saying, “The Kerala Congress post shows how lightly they regard Bihar and Biharis. Today, the people of Bihar are asking whether Congress truly compares them to bidis. This mentality stands exposed.”

Other BJP leaders joined the criticism. Party spokesperson C.R. Kesavan said, “Congress likening bidi to Bihar is an outright insult to every citizen of the state. Deleting the post cannot erase their condescending mindset.” BJP MP Giriraj Singh added, “The Congress always mistreats Bihar. Their downfall is inevitable.”

The controversy also drew a response from Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, who took a dig at the Congress during her GST announcement. Referring to the party’s post, she asked whether Congress was calling for a 5% tax on tobacco and gutkha. Sitharaman has proposed a special 40% GST slab for select items, including high-end cars, tobacco, and cigarettes.