Congress' post on Bihar and bidi triggers row, BJP says 'insult to the entire state'

In the wake of the new GST structure, the Kerala Congress wrote on X, "Bidis and Bihar starts (start) with B. Cannot be considered a sin anymore."

The post has been deleted after it stirred a row.

Launching an attack on the Congress, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Samrat Choudhary wrote on X, "First, the insult to the revered mother of our honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, and now the insult to the entire Bihar—this is the true character of the Congress, which is repeatedly being exposed before the country."

Janata Dal (United) national working president Sanjay Kumar Jha also protested against the remark and wrote on X, "Another extremely shameful act by the Congress! Let me tell you that B doesn't just mean beedi, it also means intellect, which you lack! B also means budget, in which you get irritated when Bihar receives special assistance. #By making a mockery of Bihar, the Congress has not only insulted the people of Bihar once again, but has also mocked the glorious history of the country and democracy.

"It was on the sacred land of this very Bihar that Adishakti Mother Janaki appeared. It was here that Lord Buddha attained enlightenment. Bihar, the land of many great freedom fighters of the independence struggle, gave the country its first draft of the Constitution and its first President."

"It was this very Bihar that made Gandhiji the Father of the Nation. And yes, it was from the soil of this Bihar that the bugle of Total Revolution was sounded, which uprooted the Congress's dictatorial rule. Believe me, the great people of Bihar will give a befitting reply to the repeated insults by the Congress in the upcoming assembly elections—not with the smoke of a beedi, but with the blow of votes," he added.

Union Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced sweeping rate cuts after the GST Council approved a new two-slab structure of 5 percent and 18 percent. An additional slab of 40 percent has been kept for sin goods, sugary products and super luxury items.

The Centre has, however, reduced the GST from 28 percent to 18 percent on bidis as well as bidi wrapper leaves also known as tendu leaves.