New Delhi, Sep 2 (IANS) Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s “hydrogen bomb” remark during the conclusion of the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Patna has ignited a political firestorm, with leaders from both the BJP and JD(U) launching scathing attacks, labelling him as a subject of mockery.

JD(U) Secretary Saket Singh, on Tuesday, strongly condemned Gandhi’s statement, calling it “nonsensical and disrespectful” to the people of Bihar.

“Rahul Gandhi has become a subject of national and international mockery. He talks about atom bombs and hydrogen bombs, but the people of Bihar will throw him out just like last time,” Singh said.

“He can insult great leaders like Jan Nayak Karpoori Thakur, so insulting the voters of Bihar is no surprise. His own allies, like Tej Pratap Yadav, have called this yatra nothing more than a political drama,” Singh added.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Vallabh went a step further, accusing Gandhi of attempting to undermine the Constitution and mislead the youth.

“He’s talking about vote theft while trying to weaken the Constitution of Dr Ambedkar. Rahul Gandhi wants to give the rights of Bihar’s youth to Bangladeshi infiltrators,” Vallabh claimed.

“Let Congress and RJD not speak of theft, Bihar remembers the fodder scam and land-for-jobs scandal. The people are not fools.”

The controversy erupted after Rahul Gandhi, addressing thousands during the Voter Adhikar Yatra’s final day, said: “After the atom bomb of vote theft, now a hydrogen bomb is coming. Its impact will be hundreds or thousands of times more powerful.”

The remark, clearly aimed at the BJP, was intended to emphasise what Gandhi claims is an escalating assault on electoral integrity.

Congress has been alleging that the BJP is systematically disenfranchising marginalised communities and manipulating the democratic process.

The yatra, launched by Rahul Gandhi from Sasaram on August 17, aimed to highlight the alleged assault on people’s right to vote through the special intensive revision of electoral rolls in Bihar. It passed through over 110 Assembly constituencies in 25 of the 38 districts of the state.

–IANS

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