BJP wants to keep Dalits in the last queue, says Rahul Gandhi

In the second leg of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ through poll-bound Bihar, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (August 23, 2025) continued his attack on the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission of India.

The Congress launched the 16-day yatra on August 17 to highlight the alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.

Speaking at Katihar district of Seemanchal, a region dominated by Muslims, Mr. Gandhi alleged that the BJP wants to keep Dalits in the last queue in society. He also alleged that the BJP wanted to give the “entire power and business” to industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

Battle of ideologies

Showing the copy of the Constitution, Mr. Gandhi said the country is now witnessing a battle of two ideologies – one deals with equality and equal rights, and the other with giving power in the hands of a few billionaires.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ in Bihar on August 23, 2025.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

He also took a jibe at the media saying that millions of people had been joining the yatra, be it in rain or scorching heat, and the slogan of ‘Vote Chor Gaddi Chhodd (Vote thief, leave the throne) is echoing everywhere. “If you turn on the TV, you won’t see this slogan or yatra anywhere, because these media people don’t belong to the poor people. They belong only to billionaires,” Mr. Gandhi said.

He termed Bihar the centre of unemployment due to demonetisation and imposition of GST.

“When a common man asks for loan, they are beaten with shoes, but the same bank gives loan to Adani and Ambani,” he said. He pointed out that billionaires’ loans are written off but the Narendra Modi government does not waive the loans of farmers.

He reiterated that votes are being “stolen” in Bihar in the name of SIR. “The way the BJP and the Election Commission stole votes in Maharashtra and Haryana, they are trying it in Bihar now. The BJP is stealing votes because it does not want to give the Dalits and backward communities their rights. BJP people are running away from the public’s questions, undermining your vote, and snatching the right to vote. They have deleted the names of lakhs of people in Bihar,” Mr. Gandhi said.

Rahul Gandhi at a makhana processing unit in Bihar.
| Photo Credit:
PTI

Earlier in the day, Mr. Gandhi met makhana farmers in Katihar and also witnessed its processing.

“Bihar produces 90% of the world’s makhana, but the farmers and labourers who toil day and night in the sun and rain do not even earn 1% of the profits. Today, I met these farmers in their fields and learned about their struggles. In big cities, it sells for 1,000-2,000 rupees per kilo, but these hardworking people, the foundation of the entire industry, receive only a nominal price,” Mr. Gandhi wrote on X.

He said these people belonged to the extremely backward Dalit-Bahujan group. “All the hard work is done by the 99% Bahujans but the profit goes to just 1% of middlemen.”

“The vote-stealing government neither values nor cares for them – neither providing income nor justice,” Mr. Gandhi said.

Not scared of FIR: Tejashwi

Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav also took a dig at Mr. Modi and coined a new full form for the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).

“NDA means – Nahi Denge Adhikar (won’t give rights). An FIR has been lodged against me for saying Narendra Modi showers jumla (empty promises). Have I said anything wrong about him? I will say it again and again that Narendra Modi is a factory of lies. I am not scared of the FIR,” Mr. Yadav said.

Congress MP Imran Pratapgarhi held a press conference in Katihar in which he slammed the Prime Minister. “The lie, even after changing clothes five times a day, is still anxious, while our truth shines in a single T-shirt. Ever since Rahul Gandhiji raised the issue of vote theft, unease has spread across the Election Commission and the BJP governments throughout the country,” Mr. Pratapgarhi said.