"Rahul Gandhi did not disrespect Chhath Puja": Rashid Alvi defends Congress leader's Yamuna remarks

Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Thursday defended Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi's recent remarks on the Yamuna River in Delhi, asserting that the Congress leader did not disrespect Chhath Puja. Alvi highlighted that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders have repeatedly claimed to have cleaned the Yamuna in the national capital, but added that such claims could only be credible if BJP leaders themselves drank the river's water.

"Rahul Gandhi did not disrespect Chhath Puja... The main point is that the BJP kept saying they had fixed the pollution in the Yamuna River... If the Yamuna is not polluted, then the PM and BJP leaders should show us by drinking that water. Then we will agree that the Yamuna is not polluted," Rashid Alvi told ANI. The remarks come in the wake of Rahul Gandhi addressing an election rally at Muzaffarpur on Wednesday, where he said, "He (PM Modi) just wants your vote. If you ask him to do a drama for votes, he will. You can make him do anything. If you tell Narendra Modi to dance, he will dance."

Rahul Gandhi also reiterated his "vote theft" allegations, accusing Prime Minister Modi of attempting to steal votes in the Bihar elections."They are engaged in stealing your votes. Because they want to end this election disease, I am telling you, they stole elections in Maharashtra, they stole elections in Haryana, and they will try their best in Bihar," he added. The 2025 Bihar election is the main contest between the National Democratic Alliance and the Mahagathbandhan. NDA includes the Bharatiya Janata Party, Janata Dal (United), Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas), Hindustani Awam Morcha (Secular), and Rashtriya Lok Morcha.

Mahagathbandhan, led by Rashtriya Janata Dal, includes Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) (CPI-ML) led by Deepankar Bhattacharya, the Communist Party of India (CPI), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM), and Mukesh Sahani's Vikasheel Insaan Party (VIP). Additionally, Prashant Kishor's Jan Suraaj has staked claims to all 243 seats in the state. The assembly elections will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14. (ANI)