A new controversy has been in the political arena, coming at a particularly sensitive time of Bihar elections. At the heart of this row is a now-deleted social media post by the Kerala unit of the Congress party, which tried to make a satirical point about GST reforms but ended up insulting an entire state, setting off a wave of public and political backlash.
What is the controversy?
The controversy erupted when the official Kerala Congress X account posted: “Bidis and Bihar start with B. Cannot be considered sin anymore.” This was in reference to the Union Government’s latest GST changes, which reduced the tax on bidis from 28% to 18%, while increasing taxes on cigars and cigarettes to 40%. The post, intended as a critique of the government’s GST policy, was widely interpreted as derogatory towards Bihar and its people, especially since Bihar is heading for elections soon and is a significant centre for the bidi industry.
Background and Kerala Congress’s post
With the BJP-led government’s GST reforms in the spotlight, opposition parties have tried to question the Centre’s motives. The Kerala unit’s post, however, crossed a line from policy critique to cultural insensitivity. The controversy intensified when it became clear the post linked an entire state with a tobacco product, drawing on negative stereotypes. This led to not only outrage from the BJP and its NDA allies but also serious discomfort within the Congress-led opposition alliance in Bihar.
The post was quickly deleted, but the damage was done. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) chief Sunny Joseph admitted an error of judgment and lack of caution. The digital wing’s head, VT Balram, resigned after meeting with party leadership, taking moral responsibility for the gaffe. The KPCC clarified that the post was not reflective of party views and issued an apology, stating, “Our apologies if you felt hurt”.
The political backlash
Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary of the BJP called it “an insult to the entire Bihar,” referencing earlier perceived slights from the Congress towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and now, by extension, the state of Bihar.
Union Minister Nityanand Rai accused Congress of repeatedly taking “pleasure in insulting Biharis,” while JD(U) leader Sanjay Kumar Jha used wordplay, saying, “B doesn’t just mean bidi, it also means buddhi (intellect), which you lack. B also means budget, which irks you whenever Bihar receives special assistance.”
The controversy also led to discomfort within the opposition camp. RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Congress’s key ally in Bihar, distanced himself, but demanded an apology if any insult was intended. The RJD, fighting for primacy in Bihar’s opposition space, cannot afford to alienate local sentiment or be seen as complicit in statements undermining Bihari pride.
Impact on Congress in Bihar
With assembly elections looming, the timing could not have been worse for the Congress. The episode has handed the BJP and NDA a potent weapon to target the Congress as culturally insensitive and out of touch with Bihar’s self-respect. In a state where outsider-insider dynamics and regional pride are electorally significant, any suggestion of outsider condescension can have outsized political consequences.
NDA leaders have already begun using the controversy to galvanize public opinion against the Congress, weaving it into larger narratives of historical slights and disrespect.
The resignation of Kerala Congress’s digital wing head and the hasty apology might limit internal fallout, but the incident will linger as a talking point through campaign season, allowing the BJP to rally sentiment in its favour and put the Congress on the defensive. Moreover, it risks complicating Congress’s relations not only with voters but also with its opposition partners who must now perform damage control among their own support base.