Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday took a sharp swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he lacked the courage to confront former US President Donald Trump over Washington’s claim that it intervened to stop an India-Pakistan conflict. Speaking at an election rally in Bihar’s Nalanda district, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha accused the Prime Minister and the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government of undermining the Constitution and favouring industrialists.
Rahul Gandhi’s Attack on PM Modi Over Trump’s Claim
Referring to past remarks made by Donald Trump, Rahul Gandhi said, “The US President has claimed several times that it was because of him, the conflict between India and Pakistan stopped…. But our Prime Minister does not have the courage to confront him.”
He recalled the 1971 India-Pakistan war to draw a contrast between former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and Narendra Modi.
“In the 1971 war, America sent its aircraft carrier, their Seventh Fleet. They sent their navy to threaten and intimidate India. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, and she said, we are not afraid of your navy. Do whatever you want. We will do whatever we want. Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more strength than this mard. Narendra Modi is a coward. He has neither any vision nor can he stand in front of the President of America. This is the truth. I challenge Narendra Modi, if he has the courage, then he should say in any meeting in Bihar that ‘the President of America is lying. I did not stop Operation Sindoor.’ I challenge Narendra Modi ji to tell this to the youth of Bihar; he cannot do this,” Gandhi said.
#WATCH | Nalanda, Bihar: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi says, “In the 1971 war, America sent its aircraft carrier, their Seventh Fleet. They sent their navy to threaten and intimidate India. Indira Gandhi was the Prime Minister, and she said, we are not afraid of your… pic.twitter.com/yHevQ5ei0i
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2025
‘Bihar Now Synonymous with Paper Leaks, Poor Healthcare’: Rahul Gandhi
Criticising the condition of public services in Bihar, the Congress MP said the state had become “synonymous with paper leaks and poor health infrastructure”. He also launched a scathing attack on the ruling dispensation, alleging that “plots were given to an industrial house at throwaway prices” despite claims by Union Home Minister Amit Shah that “there is no land available in Bihar”.
“One India belongs to the billionaires, Adani and Ambani. Union HM Amit Shah said there is no land for industries, but Adani is allotted land at Re 1. Land is snatched from some farmers and given to billionaires for free… Lands worth lakhs, crores of rupees are taken and given to Adani for free,” he claimed.
Attacking the state’s health system, Gandhi remarked, “People don’t go to hospitals in Bihar to live, they go there to die. This is the truth of your government.” He alleged that Bihar’s administration was being run remotely by PM Modi, Amit Shah and “Nagpur”, referring to the RSS headquarters.
The Congress leader said that if the opposition’s INDIA bloc came to power in Bihar, it would form a government representing “farmers, workers, Dalits and weaker sections of society”, with inclusion from all communities.
“If voted to power in Bihar, INDIA bloc will be the government of farmers, workers, dalits, with representation from all communities,” he said, adding that a world-class university would be established in Nalanda.
He further alleged that “the NDA formed government through vote chori during the last Lok Sabha election” and accused the ruling alliance of trying to destroy the Constitution framed by Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar.
Amit Shah’s Counterattack in Nalanda
Meanwhile, addressing a separate rally in Hilsa, Nalanda, Union Home Minister Amit Shah countered the opposition’s attacks, crediting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with ending the era of violence that prevailed under the Lalu-Rabri regime.
“Nalanda has seen ‘jungle raj’. During the Lalu-Rabri rule, there were 38 massacres across Bihar. In 20 years, during Nitish Kumar’s rule, not even one massacre occurred,” Shah said.
He also lauded the Modi government for rebuilding Nalanda University, saying, “There once used to be Nalanda University here. People used to come from across the world and study here. Bakhtiyar Khilji demolished this University. But PM Modi rebuilt the University, which was demolished in the 12th century, and rejuvenated the pride of Nalanda. I can confidently say – even if 100 Bakhtiyar Khiljis come, they cannot destroy our Nalanda Vidyapeeth again.”
#WATCH | #BiharElection2025 | Hilsa, Nalanda: Union HM Amit Shah says, “There once used to be Nalanda University here. People used to come from across the world and study here. Bakhtiyar Khilji demolished this University. But PM Modi rebuilt the University, which was demolished… pic.twitter.com/VUg0ZGm6Rq
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2025
He also attacked Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Voter Adhikar Yatra’ and remarked, “Rahul baba was here recently. 3 months ago, he took out a ‘ghuspaithia bachao yatra’…You elect an NDA Govt, we will oust each and every infiltrator from across Bihar…These infiltrators indulge in anti-national activities. You can take out as many ‘ghuspaithia bachao yatra’ as you want, PM Modi will send back each and every infiltrator to wherever they came from.”
The Bihar Legislative Assembly elections are being held in two phases November 6 and November 11. 121 assembly seats will go to polls in the first phase, and 122 seats will vote in the second phase, with results scheduled for November 14.
