On 9th July, the opposition’s much-publicized “Bihar Bandh” rally spearheaded by the I.N.D.I. alliance to protest the special intensive revision of Bihar’s electoral rolls turned into a spectacle of internal discord and humiliation.
Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar and independent Purnia MP Pappu Yadav were blocked from ascending a protest vehicle that carried opposition faces like Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav. The two had hoped to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the alliance’s leaders, only to be stopped by security personnel who were under instructions to restrict access.
Visuals from the scene show Pappu Yadav attempting to climb onto the vehicle, even being assisted initially, before being firmly pushed back. Kanhaiya Kumar did manage to get a foot on the platform but was promptly ordered down. Meanwhile, other leaders freely boarded.
A tearful Pappu Yadav tries to salvage dignity
The incident left Pappu Yadav visibly shaken. Speaking to the media shortly after, he struggled to hold back tears. Attempting to put a philosophical spin on the public snub, he insisted this was “not about respect or insult,” citing everything from Lord Ram to Lord Shiva to Socrates to underline the need to weather humiliations in life.
But the damage was done. The ruling BJP quickly seized the opportunity to label the episode a stark reminder of how the Congress treats even its allies. They alleged that while the opposition claims to fight for the Constitution and minorities, their actions betray contempt for their own foot soldiers.
Manish Kashyap takes digs at the drama
Jan Suraaj’s Manish Kashyap found ample fodder in the fiasco to taunt both sidelined leaders. “For the first time, I feel genuine sympathy for Kanhaiya Kumar,” he said, acknowledging ideological differences but pointing out Kumar’s talent deserved better treatment.
Turning to Pappu Yadav, Kashyap mocked:
“He’s trying hard to join Congress, but they keep rejecting him. Why embarrass yourself like this? He was elected as an independent and does good work during floods, but here he’s trying to clamber up a van at 150 kilos only to be pushed down.”
Kashyap also ridiculed the episode involving Kanhaiya Kumar:
“They invited him only to insult him. Did you see his face? They made him speak, used his popularity, and then embarrassed him. I won’t tolerate this treatment of young leaders.”
A revealing glimpse of opposition unity
While the official Congress line insists this was simply a matter of managing crowd control, the optics tell another story. The incident has amplified murmurs that beneath the rhetoric of unity, old hierarchies and personal insecurities continue to fester within the opposition ranks.
As the NDA is quick to highlight, this kind of public humiliation of one of the well-known opposition faces no less, casts a shadow on claims of a cohesive “save democracy” front.