Key Points

The bandh, which began at 7 a.m. and will continue till noon, saw BJP and its allies take to the streets, raising slogans against the Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

JD(U) spokesperson Anjum Ara led the women workers of the party during the protests and demanded an apology from Congress and RJD.

"The way the Prime Minister's mother was insulted from the stage by Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' is an insult to all women of India. In response, women across Bihar have taken to the streets today during the bandh. We will continue this until these leaders apologise," Ara told IANS.

Former JD(U) Rajya Sabha MP Kahkashan Perween also condemned the remarks, telling IANS, "The whole world saw how the Prime Minister's mother was abused from Darbhanga. That is why the entire NDA in Bihar has called for a bandh, in her honour, against the insult by Mahagathbandhan leaders."

BJP MLC Sanjay Mayukh said people themselves had come forward in protest, and the public of Bihar will respond accordingly to the remarks made against PM Modi's late mother.

"It's not just us, but the people of Bihar who are on the streets, and a strong response will be given because the Prime Minister's mother was insulted. No matter whose mother is insulted, the people of Bihar will surely respond," he told IANS.

JD(U) State President Umesh Singh Kushwaha also lashed out at the opposition, stating, "During the Voter Adhikar Yatra, the Mahagathbandhan leaders in Darbhanga insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his late mother, using abusive language."

"This act dishonours our Indian traditions. This makes one think, what kind of anarchy do they want to bring to Bihar? We honour mothers in India, not insult them," Kushwaha told IANS.

Large numbers of protesters turned out during the bandh, shouting slogans against Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav.

One protestor told IANS, "We are sitting on the roads because, during Rahul Gandhi's rally in Darbhanga, derogatory remarks were made about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother. He will have to apologise for this. We will not tolerate this."

"We want Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav to apologise. Their leaders have abused the Prime Minister's mother, who is not even alive. This is not just an insult to her but to all the women in Bihar. We condemn it," another protestor added.

BJP workers blocked roads at several locations, including Sasaram Post Office Chowk, while in Bhagalpur, vehicular movement was disrupted as protesters gathered in large numbers.

NDA workers also blocked the Bhagalpur-Banka main road at Amarpur Market (SH 85), intensifying the bandh call against Congress and RJD.

- IANS