Key Points

Speaking to ANI on Tuesday, Anupriya Patel condemned the remarks against PM Modi's mother and called it "petty politics".

"This is India. Mothers are worshipped here. The word 'Maa' evokes our feelings. We can have mutual differences. But I condemn dragging a mother into this... This is shameful. If bringing a mother into politics is in the culture of a party, there can be no politics pettier than this," she said.

Meanwhile, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has announced a statewide bandh in Bihar on September 4 against the Opposition. BJP's Bihar state president, Dilip Jaiswal, said the five-hour bandh will be observed from 7 am to 12 noon.

BJP leader Syed Shahnawaz Hussain said, "The nation will not accept this. There is a lot of grief and resentment in Bihar towards the RJD and the Congress. This is the reason women are shutting Bihar down on September 4. They will get a befitting reply."

Hussain slammed Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and RJD MLA Tejashwi Yadav for not condemning the alleged derogatory remarks.

"Neither Rahul Gandhi nor Tejashwi Yadav has said a single word...The rally had been operating under police protection ever since they made the statement. Women of Bihar are not happy," he said.

BJP leader Locket Chatterjee asked West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to speak on the ongoing row.

She said, "It is very sad. For the last 10 years, the people of the INDI alliance have been using abusive language against the Prime Minister and the Home Minister, but now, spare those who are no longer in this world... Mamata Banerjee, along with all the women Chief Ministers in the country, should speak on this, but she (Mamata Banerjee) is in the INDI alliance and needs votes. If even the Prime Minister's mother is not respected, then imagine what respect women in West Bengal will get."

Meanwhile, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh said that the party does not support such statements; however, he slammed the BJP for its remarks against CM Banerjee.

The political battle should have been on development and ideologies. We do not support any kind of statement against anyone's mother. If someone makes any comment regarding PM Modi's mother, we do not support it. But what does the BJP and Narendra Modi himself do? BJP's Leader of the Opposition, what bad words don't they use against Mamata ji? Where was your conscience then? We respect your mother, but you too will have to respect our Didi," the TMC leader said.

Amid the row over derogatory remarks, PM Modi on Tuesday took an indirect jibe, at INDIA bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav, calling them "namdaars", people born with a silver spoon who, he said, cannot understand the struggles of poor mothers or the suffering and pain of their children, as for them, "power" is "inheritance".

Referring to alleged derogatory remarks made during the 'Voter Adhikar Yatra', PM Modi said, "The struggles (Tapasya) of a poor mother, the suffering of her son--these young princes born into royal families cannot understand. These 'naamdaar' people were born with a silver spoon in their mouths. The power of the country and Bihar seems like an inheritance of their family to them."

- ANI