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The Yatra of Ranjha’s Resolve: Rahul Gandhi’s Quest for India’s Soul in Bihar

Nalin Verma

29 August 2025: Within the monsoon-soaked plains of Bihar, the place the Ganges murmurs timeless tales of wrestle and resilience, a contemporary epic unfolds – a conflict between two titans: one, a crusader pushed by zeal to revive the beliefs that cast India as a democratic republic rooted in justice and ‘sarva dharma sambhav’ (equal respect for all religions), and the opposite, accused of deploying crafty stratagems to dismantle these very rules.

The Voter Adhikar Yatra, launched by Rahul Gandhi on August 17, 2025, in Sasaram, Bihar, has traversed three-quarters of the state, spanning the north and south banks of the Ganga, drawing a stark battle line between, on one hand, the scion of the Nehru-Gandhi lineage, and on the opposite, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh pracharak.

This isn’t merely a contest for the INDIA bloc to supplant Nitish Kumar’s NDA in Bihar or for Rahul Gandhi to problem Modi’s premiership. It’s a profound wrestle to protect the “Thought of India” – inclusive, embracing numerous ideas and actions, anchored in equity – in opposition to what critics describe as a ruthless equipment bent on erasing the legacy formed by freedom fighters who resisted British rule, and the saint-poets, Sufi folklorists and bards who wove verses of affection, concord and coexistence.

Using a motorbike along with his sister Priyanka Gandhi or Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Tejashwi Yadav by his facet, or assembly a former Agniveer maimed in battle and discarded with out compensation, Rahul Gandhi engages with farmers, unemployed youth and impoverished villagers. Clad in his signature white t-shirt, trousers and polo cap, the Congress chief exudes the spirit of a crusader.

From Sasaram, Aurangabad, Lakhisarai, Munger, and Bhagalpur south of the Ganga to Katihar, Purnia, Madhubani, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, and Motihari north of the river, his strategy stays constant: spreading love, forging connections, visiting spiritual shrines to hunt divine blessings, and sharing the thrill and sorrows of atypical folks.

A poignant instance of bridge-building was Rahul’s function in uniting Purnia MP Rajesh Ranjan, alias Pappu Yadav, with Tejashwi Yadav. This reconciliation, past strengthening the Mahagathbandhan’s electoral prospects, sparked pleasure amongst voters in Seemanchal, a area encompassing Purnia, Katihar, Kishanganj and Araria districts.

With a big Muslim inhabitants, Seemanchal is fertile floor for events championing secularism, justice, and equality. But, vote fragmentation alongside communal traces has usually favoured the BJP and its allies. Within the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, secular candidates – Pappu Yadav (Impartial) in Purnia, Dr. Javed (Congress) in Kishanganj, and Tariq Anwar (Congress) in Katihar – triumphed, however the BJP secured Araria regardless of secular voters outnumbering its base, underscoring the impression of vote division.

Stalin’s resonant voice

The Voter Adhikar Yatra thrives on spontaneity, with Rahul Gandhi magnetic disposition regardless of the Congress celebration’s weakened state in Bihar. Removed from vanity, he shows humility, sharing house and highlight with allies like Tejashwi Yadav, CPI(ML)-Liberation’s Dipankar Bhattacharya – a tireless advocate for the marginalised – and Vikassheel Insaan Social gathering chief Mukesh Sahni, an rising voice for the Mallah (fishermen) neighborhood.

A strong second was on August 27, 2025, in Muzaffarpur, when Tamil Nadu chief minister M.Ok. Stalin joined Gandhi on the yatra to protest alleged voter suppression. Talking in Tamil, Stalin invoked the legacy of Periyar, the Dravidian motion’s icon, to champion unity, justice, and democratic values. His presence symbolised a bridge between India’s north and south, linking the Ganga and Kosi with the Krishna and Kaveri rivers, reinforcing a shared battle for voting rights.

Some second-tier Bihar BJP leaders criticised the Rahul-Stalin alliance, citing alleged mistreatment of Bihar’s migrant employees in Tamil Nadu. But, they neglected the colourful tapestry of Bihar’s migrants, who journey from Jammu and Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, Gujarat to Assam, constructing infrastructure and enriching their folklore with multilingual songs and tales. Locations like Madras (now Chennai), Kolkata, Guwahati, Surat and Bombay (Mumbai) resonate of their ballads with equal affection, a cultural bridge that deserves its personal telling. The BJP’s selective outrage ignores this shared heritage, whereas Rahul’s Yatra continues to weave a story of unity and resilience throughout Bihar’s heartland.

Whereas Prime Minister Narendra Modi had chosen to deal with a rally in Madhubani in English, following the terrorist assault on vacationers in Kashmir earlier in 2025, diverging from his common Hindi-centric oratory, Tamil Nadu chief minister M.Ok. Stalin, talking on the Voter Adhikar Yatra in Muzaffarpur on August 27 selected his native Tamil, weaving a message of affection and satisfaction for his language to resonate with Bihar’s numerous populace, fostering a way of cultural unity.

“Rahul Gandhi just isn’t merely battling Modi; he’s preventing to resurrect the soul of India,” remarked a Delhi-based senior tutorial, who holds a key college administrative submit and requested anonymity, fearing reprisal for his candour. “He isn’t chasing energy. He’s striving to revive the legacy of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, B.R. Ambedkar, Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose, alongside saint-poets like Kabir, Nanak, Jayasi, and Raskhan, whose verses sang of affection, concord, and coexistence.”

Situations of Unease

Tensions have surfaced through the Yatra. Rahul Gandhi’s sharp accusation in Motihari on August 28, 2025, the place he known as Modi a “vote chor” (vote thief), sparked outrage amongst BJP leaders. He acknowledged: “If I’m accusing the prime minister of being a ‘vote chor,’ why is he silent? Why is the prime minister not uttering a single phrase? Kyuki pradhan mantri vote chor hai aur wo jaanta hai… (As a result of the prime minister is a vote thief and he is aware of…)”

The time period “vote chor” ignited fierce backlash, with BJP leaders decrying it as derogatory and disrespectful, a story amplified by mainstream media. But, the identical media largely neglected Modi’s 2013 remarks in Gujarat, the place he reportedly known as Sonia Gandhi a “Jersey cow” and Rahul her “bachhera” (calf), as quoted by The Wire in earlier stories:

“Soniya ben is a Jersey cow. And Rahul is a hybrid calf.”

This selective outrage underscores a disparity in media scrutiny, with Modi’s feedback fading from public discourse, probably because of the BJP’s sturdy media administration A piece of vernacular media highlighted “fissures” within the Mahagathbandhan, citing skirmishes between RJD and Congress cadres over celebration posters in Motihari.

Nonetheless, RJD chief Tejashwi Yadav dismissed these as overblown, stating, “Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill. After Stalin, Samajwadi Social gathering chief Akhilesh Yadav will be part of the Voter Adhikar Yatra. We’re united and resolute.” Certainly, Akhilesh Yadav’s deliberate participation alerts the coalition’s rising power.

Who’s the Actual Chanakya?

Fashionable media usually liken crafty leaders to the legendary Chanakya, with Amit Shah ceaselessly dubbed “Modi’s Chanakya” and Nitish Kumar as soon as known as Lalu Prasad Yadav’s “Chanakya” within the late Eighties and early Nineteen Nineties. Such comparisons misrepresent Chanakya’s legacy.

Whereas his historic existence is debated, Chanakya is well known as a sage who journeyed from Taxila (Takshashila) (now in Pakistan) to Magadha, difficult the despotic Nanda dynasty. He mentored a low-caste boy, Chandragupta, coaching him in valour to overthrow the Nandas. Chandragupta’s successor, Ashoka the Nice, embraced Buddhism, spreading Gautama Buddha’s teachings of peace, non-violence, love and compassion.

If anybody embodies Chanakya’s spirit immediately, it’s Rahul Gandhi. By the Voter Adhikar Yatra, he seeks to liberate India from vanity, despotism and the subjugation of democratic establishments. Just like the selfless lovers, Ranjha for Heer, or Brijbhar for Sorthi in Indian folklore, Rahul treads a crusader’s path, not for electoral triumph however to uphold India’s pluralistic ethos.

Whether or not he succeeds in opposition to Modi electorally issues lower than his rising function as a hero in India’s wealthy folkloric custom, championing unity and justice.

[Nalin Verma is a journalist, author and media educator. His latest book, ‘Lores of Love and Saint Gorakhnath’, is co-authored with Lalu Prasad Yadav. Courtesy: The Wire, an Indian nonprofit news and opinion website. It was founded in 2015 by Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia, and M. K. Venu.]

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In Bihar, ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ Spurs Dialogue on Points Past Simply Voting Rights

Faiyaz Ahmad Wajeeh

29 August 25, Darbhanga: The date is August 26, the tenth day of the ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ spearheaded by Lok Sabha chief of opposition Rahul Gandhi and Bihar chief of opposition Tejashwi Yadav in Bihar. In keeping with the itinerary, the grand alliance or ‘mahagathbandhan’ convoy is scheduled to reach in Darbhanga at 3:30 pm, coming into from the Raje Toll Plaza located on Nationwide Freeway 27 in Manigachhi.

A throng of kids, aged people and youth, all wanting to catch a glimpse of Gandhi and his sister Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, started assembling alongside the freeway at 2 pm underneath the scorching solar. The presence of ladies is noticeably sparse. Upon inquiry, it was revealed that immediately marks the pageant of Chaurchand, which married girls in Mithila observe by fasting.

Employees from the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the Vikassheel Insaan Social gathering (VIP) and the Congress chant the slogan ‘Vote chor–gaddi chhod’ (‘vote thief, hand over the throne’), whereas some senior members of the Communist Social gathering of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation (CPI(ML)) are additionally stationed right here like sentinels.

The array of celebration flags and banners is seen from a substantial distance, but Mukesh Sahani’s VIP, in its distinct camp, seems to be studying from the opposite events within the alliance about crowd mobilisation and slogan-chanting.

Probed concerning the VIP having its personal camp, celebration employees say, “Everyone seems to be united and our aim is to guard democracy. Voting is our proper and we won’t let anybody snatch it…”

Nonetheless, when The Wire sought to know the narrative surrounding this distinct camp, we’re informed that in mild of Sahani’s ‘declare and demand’ for the place of deputy chief minister, it should be interpreted as ‘stress politics’.

If one is to take the general public’s phrase for it, Sahani’s message is unequivocal, and in some method, he goals to convey to the RJD particularly via this ‘present of power’ that he not solely calls for an elevated variety of seats (with discussions revolving round 60 seats), but additionally aspires for a extra substantial function in governance as deputy chief minister.

Amidst this unseen rigidity on the Raje Toll Plaza, other than the interior divisions among the many factions of the Mahagathbandhan, essentially the most placing commentary is that the RJD has struggled to mobilise the lots of this stronghold for the Voter Adhikar Yatra in important numbers, whereas the VIP is demonstrating a facade of unity opposite to expectations.

Nonetheless, it is going to turn into evident within the forthcoming days what kind of turmoil is predicted to happen among the many Mahagathbandhan events regarding its chief ministerial candidate, the deputy chief minister’s aspirations and the distribution of seats previous to the elections.

Along with celebration members, sure people converse amongst themselves in Maithili, stating, ‘Modi has however one remaining technique – provide rations and maintain the populace in subjugation. He has led the nation to the sting of break. They’re eradicating our names from the electoral roll, who is aware of what’s coming subsequent.’

They additional add: ‘If the folks proceed to barter their rights for luggage of subsidies, it’s inevitable that they may forfeit each their dignity and their future on this nation. The ‘ration system’ will substitute democracy.’

Amidst ongoing discussions, Arun Das, who joined Gandhi’s yatra, states in response to a question from The Wire: “The lots are distressed, which is why the yatra is experiencing such success. Simply take a look at the extent of crime in Bihar and the state of inflation. The gasoline cylinder stays empty in households.”

Certainly, whereas these attending this yatra are discussing a possible change in authorities in Bihar, they’re additionally sharing tales concerning the Election Fee’s particular intensive revision (SIR) and the varied rights which were denied to the folks.

Seen on this mild, this Voter Adhikar Yatra has undoubtedly compelled people to rethink their views on the politics of each the nation and the state, extending past mere voting rights. The turnout right here serves as proof that Gandhi’s message has resonated in each family throughout Bihar.

Consequently, maybe the road politics of the opposition events, which has arisen in response to the irregularities within the SIR, has discovered a spot within the hearts of the folks.

At present, it’s nearly 6:21 pm on the Raje Toll Plaza, and the exercise has out of the blue intensified as Gandhi and Yadav arrive amidst slogans that resonate via the air. Vadra has but to make her look.

The youth eagerly rush to greet their cherished chief, stuffed with pleasure as they handle to seize {a photograph} on their smartphones.

The car progresses slowly, with Gandhi and Yadav waving of their customary method. Pappu Yadav’s car is clearly seen simply behind, and the youth are hurrying in the direction of him with equal fervour. Your entire toll plaza reverberates with slogans: ‘Vote chor, gaddi chhod…’

The convoy continues onward, with Sakri as its subsequent vacation spot. Upon exiting the toll plaza, one feels as if they’ve entered a Congress bastion, surrounded by massive hoardings and spectacular cutouts of Gandhi, Vadra and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, wanting as if they’re striving to succeed in the heavens.

From this level onward, it seems that this yatra has remodeled right into a rally solely for the Congress and Gandhi.

Girls are additionally considerably represented right here, regardless of it already being night.

Quite a few bulldozers, which have come to symbolise the politics of animosity, might be seen from afar, heading in the direction of Sakri, the place flowers are being showered upon the leaders. The as soon as black roads have now taken on a yellow hue.

In truth, because the procession progresses in the direction of Sakri, a thematic show is obvious on either side of the highway, that includes the grand cut-out of Kharge alongside these of Gandhi and Vadra. Right here, it appears there’s an effort to convey that the Congress just isn’t solely revitalised inside its long-standing stronghold, however that its youthful members are additionally ready to take to the streets.

Upon inquiring with people about this, it grew to become obvious that Gandhi’s yatra may function a ‘sanjeevani booti’ (therapeutic salve) for the Congress in Bihar. The folks have begun to understand his political stance and are recognising him as their chief.

Undoubtedly, in current occasions, the notion of the Congress among the many folks of Bihar has been shifting, and the engagement of each new and seasoned employees is a optimistic signal for the celebration in quite a few respects.

Earlier than the huge meeting gathered in Sakri, Yadav, CPI (ML) normal secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, Vadra, Gandhi and different leaders ship their speeches.

Whereas Gandhi critiques the BJP’s declare of being in energy for 50 years and accuses them of ‘vote theft’, he additionally engages with the general public on issues resembling a caste census and reservation.

In the meantime, Vadra encourages the gang to chant ‘vote chor-gaddi chhod’. She asserts, “Your vote is your id, the muse of your citizenship; in the event you allow vote theft, you’ll lose your id, all of your rights will likely be stripped away and your citizenship will likely be revoked.”

The general public echoes Vadra’s statements with their slogans interspersed. She remarks, “Narendra Modi claimed through the Lok Sabha elections that the Congress would steal your buffalo. Nonetheless, they’re those who’re truly stealing your votes.”

On this gathering in Sakri, at numerous areas, some younger people brandishing posters of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) are seen advocating for the celebration’s inclusion within the Mahagathbandhan in order that they’ll contest the election collectively. These youths have additionally tried to precise their dissent in entrance of Gandhi and Vadra.

On this context, the celebration’s nationwide spokesperson Adil Hasan Azad, talking to The Wire by way of telephone, says, “Wherever Rahul ji travels throughout his tour in Bihar, AIMIM supporters and the general public are conveying this message to him. That is their very own alternative. This displays the general public’s need; they want for the AIMIM to be a part of the alliance. If we are able to collaborate with the Congress in Telangana, then, given our important inhabitants in Bihar, why is our celebration being sidelined? We stand with you on each matter, so why is there such negativity directed in the direction of us?”

Azad additional says, “Now we have made efforts on our half and have despatched letters to everybody. Nonetheless, I consider the RJD just isn’t inclined to incorporate us within the alliance … The RJD seems unwilling to allocate a share to Muslims and Seemanchal. We didn’t impose any situations, but you selected to align with those that had been related to the BJP, whereas the AIMIM has persistently opposed the BJP; so why are we being excluded to such an extent?”

He urges, “Even now, our request to the Congress-RJD is to contest the elections collectively. What might be stated if there isn’t any willingness to be taught from previous experiences? If we compete individually, victory will elude you. Not collaborating implies that you simply want to help the BJP. If the Mahagathbandhan aligns with us, the BJP won’t have a foothold in Mithila-Seemanchal.”

Echoing comparable sentiments, the state president of the celebration, Akhtarul Iman, states, “Now we have knowledgeable all of the constituent events that secular votes should not be allowed to disperse, and that our celebration needs to be a part of the coalition.

“Nonetheless, these people didn’t take our proposal severely. At present, the celebration’s supporters are voicing their discontent. We stood by them ideologically for 5 years, throughout which they severed ties with 4 of our MLAs; but we continued to help them. Even now, with a heavy coronary heart, we assert that an alliance is important to make sure that secularism stays sturdy in Bihar.

“Now we have made our efforts, and now persons are protesting through the yatra, so these people ought to learn the writing on the wall themselves.”

On this context, a big query arises: is the opposition making a mistake by excluding the AIMIM from the Mahagathbandhan?

Whereas a definitive reply to this query can’t be supplied presently, it’s believed that along with Seemanchal, the celebration’s presence has considerably elevated within the Mithila area as properly. This might affect election outcomes.

Regardless, through the 19-20 km journey from the Raje Toll Plaza to Jeevach Ghat, the gathering of individuals and their curiosity are outstanding, revealing numerous aspects of the state’s political panorama throughout this temporary journey.

A renewed vigour is seen within the Congress, and there have been discussions suggesting that the celebration ought to endeavour to reclaim its former stronghold in Bihar.

Because the yatra approaches its ultimate levels, the caravan continues to have interaction with the gang gathered alongside the roadside in Adalpur and Muria. The sight of flower petals raining from the bulldozer simply earlier than the conclusion of the yatra at round 8:30 pm contrasts the prevalent politics of hatred. Right here, even the tar roads usually are not black.

(Faiyaz Ahmad Wajeeh is a bilingual journalist with an inclination in the direction of arts and tradition. He’s at present Assistant Editor at The Wire Urdu. Courtesy: The Wire, an Indian nonprofit information and opinion web site. It was based in 2015 by Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia, and M. Ok. Venu.)

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A Widespread Bihari’s Phrases Seize India’s Wrestle to Save Democracy

S.N. Sahu

23 August 2025: Ponder over the irresistibly highly effective concepts of the next passage:

“Ever because the Modi authorities got here to energy, we now have been preventing to save lots of one factor or the opposite. The 2015 Bihar meeting election was the primary after Modi took workplace. [RSS chief] Mohan Bhagwat’s remarks on reviewing reservations figured prominently then, and the election grew to become a battle to save lots of reservations.

“By the ultimate part of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Bihar, the ‘Save the Structure’ challenge [after BJP leaders said they needed a huge majority to amend it] had grown so intense that the NDA was worn out in southwest Bihar. The INDIA alliance swept nearly all of the seats fought in that final part.

“So generally it’s ‘Save Reservations’, generally it’s ‘Save the Structure’, and now it’s ‘Save the Proper to Vote’. To save lots of the fitting to be a voter, the fitting to be a citizen. Since Modi got here to energy, we now have needed to wrestle to save lots of one factor or one other, overlook receiving Rs 15 lakh.”

These usually are not the phrases of some opposition chief, however of an nameless man from an ‘Extraordinarily Backward Class’ in Bihar. Journalist Abhishek Kumar cited him in a dialogue on the satyahindi.com YouTube channel through the ongoing Voter Adhikar Yatra spearheaded by Rahul Gandhi, Tejashwi Yadav and Dipankar Bhattacharya. A whole bunch of hundreds in Bihar have walked on this yatra, however it’s this atypical man who summed up their fears and hopes.

His anguish displays the readability of an intensely acutely aware citizen with no political affiliation. He sees, with devastating simplicity, how the Modi regime has repeatedly assaulted the structure of governance anchored within the structure, in affirmative motion, and above all within the precept of “one particular person, one vote.” His phrases deserve a salute, for they distill the predicament of Indian democracy underneath Modi, the place residents should consistently launch actions simply to defend their fundamental rights.

Gandhi and Ambedkar because the Anchor

What this atypical Bihari stated resonates deeply with the visions of Gandhi and Ambedkar. Gandhi wrote in Younger India in January 1925:

“Actual Swaraj will come, not by the acquisition of authority by a number of, however by the acquisition of the capability by all to withstand authority when it’s abused. In different phrases, Swaraj is to be attained by educating the lots to a way of their capability to control and management authority.”

Ambedkar’s name to “Educate, Organise and Agitate” within the Nineteen Forties was a revolutionary summons to collective wrestle, remarkably near Gandhi’s insistence that Swaraj required mass resistance. And in July 1931, Gandhi underlined that grownup suffrage itself was a type of direct motion: “Folks with out political energy may immediately act upon the powers that be… One type of direct motion is grownup suffrage.”

Thus, the nameless Bihari citizen is aligned with Gandhi’s formulation of the vote as a weapon of resistance and Ambedkar’s name for organised agitation.

The Vote Adhikar Rally in Bihar is a part of this lengthy continuum of fashionable struggles. It seeks to guard the fitting to vote from what Rahul Gandhi has alleged is systematic theft that benefitted the BJP. On this sense, it stands alongside the good non-violent mass actions of the final decade:

• The anti-CAA motion, the place lakhs mobilised to defend the secular foundation of Indian citizenship enshrined within the structure.
• The farmers’ motion of 2020-21, which pressured Modi to repeal the farm legal guidelines handed with out session.

Every was mocked by the prime minister, who derided protesters as “Andolanjivees”, or agitationists. But, every represented the identical intuition – the resolve of atypical folks to withstand arbitrary energy.

The Vote Adhikar Rally is unprecedented in Indian historical past. Even underneath British rule, neither Gandhi nor the Congress launched a satyagraha particularly to demand grownup suffrage. There have been resolutions, speeches and calls for, however by no means a mass motion. That such a motion is now essential in unbiased India, to safe the integrity of the voter checklist and make sure the franchise just isn’t stolen, is a measure of the democratic backsliding of the Modi years.

Former President Ok.R. Narayanan reminded the nation in his Republic Day deal with of 2001 that common suffrage meant governance wouldn’t relaxation with an elite however with the folks as an entire. It assured that their voice could be heard within the affairs of the state and their representatives elected immediately. He careworn that common franchise facilitated a democratic consensus within the midst of India’s huge diversities.

It’s exactly this consensus that’s endangered immediately. Allegations of vote theft, and the Election Fee’s reluctance to research them, strike on the core of Narayanan’s imaginative and prescient. That’s the reason the Vote Adhikar Rally has assumed such significance: it’s a defence of the precept that the mandate can’t be snatched.

The Bihari citizen’s lament – that folks have been pressured to battle endlessly to “save one thing or the opposite” since Modi took energy – captures the truth of Indian democracy up to now 11 years. First it was reservations, then the structure, now the fitting to vote. These are life-and-death struggles for atypical folks, whereas the federal government sneers at them from above.

Within the voice of this nameless man, we hear the echo of Gandhi’s Swaraj and Ambedkar’s agitation. He spoke for thousands and thousands: atypical residents who know that democracy can survive provided that they defend it themselves.

[S.N. Sahu served as officer on special duty to President of India K R Narayanan. Courtesy: The Wire, an Indian nonprofit news and opinion website. It was founded in 2015 by Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia, and M. K. Venu.]