The political campaign in Bihar took a sharp cultural and religious turn on November 3, 2025, as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi sought to portray the opposition Mahagathbandhan (MGB) — comprising the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Congress, and allied parties — as “anti-Hindu” and “disrespectful” toward Indian traditions.

At the heart of the controversy lies the BJP’s attempt to contrast the Chhath Puja, one of Bihar’s most sacred Hindu festivals, with visuals of RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav celebrating Halloween with his grandchildren. The juxtaposition, amplified by top BJP leaders including Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, has set the tone for an increasingly charged and culturally polarised campaign ahead of the state elections.

The ‘Halloween vs Chhath’ Flashpoint

The BJP’s line of attack began when a video surfaced showing Lalu Prasad Yadav celebrating Halloween with his family. The video, shared by his daughter Rohini Acharya on social media, showed Yadav enjoying the festivities as his grandchildren appeared in costumes — one even dressed as the Grim Reaper. The post was intended as a lighthearted family moment but quickly turned political.

The BJP seized upon the visuals, accusing the RJD patriarch of embracing “Western festivals” while showing disdain for India’s traditional celebrations. Party leaders reminded voters of a previous remark by Lalu in which he had allegedly dismissed the Kumbh Mela as “faltu” (meaningless).

In a post from its farmers’ wing, the BJP wrote on X (formerly Twitter):

“Don’t forget, people of Bihar, this is the same Lalu Yadav who called the grand festival of faith and spirituality Kumbh useless, and is now celebrating the foreign festival Halloween.”

The comment marked the start of a broader cultural narrative that the BJP has sought to shape — one that ties the RJD and Congress to a “disrespect” of Hindu traditions while positioning the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) as the defender of Indian faith and customs.

Amit Shah Links RJD, Congress to ‘Insult’ Against Chhath

Addressing rallies in Shivhar and other constituencies, Home Minister Amit Shah intensified the BJP’s offensive. Referring to recent remarks by Rahul Gandhi, Shah accused the Congress leader of insulting Chhathi Maiya, the goddess worshipped during the Chhath Puja, a festival deeply revered across Bihar and parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh.

The controversy stemmed from Rahul Gandhi’s claim that the BJP government in Delhi had arranged for a “clean pond” near the Yamuna River so that PM Modi could perform a “drama” on Chhath, while the rest of the river remained polluted.

Shah responded sharply:

“Rahul Gandhi has just insulted Chhathi Maiya. Along with Modi ji, you have insulted the very goddess Bihar worships with devotion.”

His remarks were echoed by several state BJP leaders, who framed the issue as a matter of cultural pride and faith, urging voters to reject leaders “who mock their traditions.”

PM Modi’s Counterattack and Cultural Pitch

At multiple election rallies across the state, Prime Minister Narendra Modi amplified this message, asserting that the INDIA bloc (a coalition that includes RJD and Congress) disrespected Hindu festivals while supporting “infiltrators” and “appeasing vote banks.”

Modi accused the opposition of simultaneously opposing the Ram temple in Ayodhya and showing contempt for Chhath Puja. Speaking in constituencies with mixed religious populations, Modi avoided direct communal references but linked the MGB to issues of national security and religious compromise.

“When the BJP works to remove infiltrators who threaten our borders, these parties rush to defend them,” he said, according to a PTI report.
“Those who oppose the Ram temple, who mock Chhath Puja, can never respect the faith of the people of Bihar.”

The Prime Minister’s comments drew loud applause at his rallies, particularly in regions where Chhath Puja carries deep cultural significance. BJP leaders are reportedly planning to continue emphasizing this theme throughout the campaign, branding the election as a “choice between tradition and imitation,” or as several party workers have dubbed it on social media — “Halloween vs Chhath.”

Congress, RJD Hit Back: ‘BJP Diverting From Real Issues’

The opposition, however, dismissed the BJP’s narrative as an attempt to distract voters from pressing governance and development concerns. Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, leading the Congress campaign in Bihar, directly mocked the Prime Minister’s repeated focus on alleged “insults” to himself or to Hinduism.

Speaking at rallies in Saharsa and Lakhisarai, she said Modi’s campaign strategy revolved around emotional accusations rather than addressing real problems faced by the people.

“Instead of talking about development, the Prime Minister keeps accusing every opposition leader of insulting the country,” she said.
“He should form a new ministry — the ‘Apmaan Mantralaya’ (Ministry of Insults) — because that’s what his government seems most focused on.”

Priyanka added that the BJP’s cultural rhetoric was a smokescreen to deflect attention from unemployment, corruption, rising prices, and poor infrastructure in Bihar under the NDA’s long rule.

“Whenever the public asks questions about jobs, education, or farmers’ distress, the PM starts crying that everyone is insulting him. He should instead answer the people of Bihar about two decades of misrule and neglect,” she said.

RJD Defends Family Video, Accuses BJP of Hypocrisy

RJD leaders, meanwhile, came out in defense of Lalu Yadav’s family video, calling the BJP’s outrage “manufactured and hypocritical.”

Party spokespersons argued that the Halloween clip was a harmless family celebration involving children, and that the BJP was trying to create cultural fault lines out of trivial issues. One RJD leader commented, “The BJP celebrates Valentine’s Day events in Delhi but lectures us about festivals. Their hypocrisy is laughable.”

Another RJD MLA from Patna added that “the BJP has nothing to show on development, so they are trying to communalize even a family moment shared on social media.”

The Broader Political Context

The BJP’s renewed cultural offensive comes at a crucial juncture in the Bihar Assembly election campaign, where the Mahagathbandhan has been seeking to consolidate anti-BJP votes amid growing discontent over unemployment and the economy.

However, BJP strategists are betting that cultural and religious symbolism — particularly around Chhath Puja, which carries immense emotional resonance in Bihar — will help the party shore up support among Hindu voters.

The party has historically relied on religious themes to galvanize voters, but this year’s “Halloween vs Chhath” framing marks a new level of cultural contrast, blending nationalism, faith, and identity politics into its campaign narrative.

Political analysts note that this approach is designed to polarize voters along cultural lines rather than purely communal ones — presenting the BJP as the protector of “Indian values” while depicting the opposition as elitist and Westernized.

Conclusion: Culture Takes Center Stage in Bihar’s Election Narrative

As the election campaign heats up, the “Halloween vs Chhath” controversy encapsulates the tone of this year’s Bihar polls — a blend of faith, identity, and symbolism overshadowing discussions on governance and policy.

While the BJP continues to invoke Chhath Puja as a symbol of devotion and cultural pride, the opposition maintains that the ruling party’s strategy is a calculated distraction from Bihar’s pressing socio-economic challenges.

With Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra now trading barbs on religion, culture, and “insults,” the Bihar election has transformed into a deeply emotional and symbolic contest — one that is as much about faith and identity as it is about leadership and development.

Whether this cultural framing will influence voters in a state where tradition holds deep sway remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: Bihar’s election narrative has now firmly turned from policy debates to a battle over cultural pride — from “Halloween” to “Chhath.”