Congress prince Rahul Gandhi is on a tour to Bihar. He reached Gaya, went to “Mountain Man” Dashrath Manjhi’s village, garlanded his statue, met his family and pretended to love Dalits with great pomp and show. The purpose of all this performative tribute was to show ‘love for Dalits’, however, what happened there exposed the Rahul Gandhi’s fake love for Dalits.
Rahul Gandhi did not even look at Dashrath Manjhi’s statue while garlanding it
Garlanding a statue of a historical or reputed figure is a way of showing respect towards that figure, however, Rahul Gandhi’s tribute to Dashrath Manjhi was devoid of respect. Rahul Gandhi reached Dashrath Manjhi Memorial in Gehlaur village of Gayaji district. There he offered garland to the statue of Mountain Man. But the way he did it can make anyone’s heart turn sour. He offered garland twice, but did not even look at the statue.
Rahul Gandhi completed this ‘work’ in the same way, with one hand, tilting it as if he was doing something forcefully. The facial expressions, the glances towards the statue and the way of garlanding the statue – everything clearly showed that for Rahul Gandhi this was not genuine respect or devotion but rather political compulsion. Garland tilted with one hand, garlanding twice in a hurry without making eye contact and moving ahead.
#WATCH | Bihar: Lok Sabha LoP and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi visits Dashrath Manjhi Memorial in Gaya, along with the family of Dashrath Manjhi. pic.twitter.com/EaQB3GDqQb
— ANI (@ANI) June 6, 2025
People are also taunting that there is no need to put in any effort in garlanding Rahul Baba. Perhaps they are thinking that just let the photo be taken, the rest of the people will vote anyway.
Who was Dashrath Manjhi, who house Rahul Gandhi visited to gain political mileage
Dashrath Manjhi, also known as the Mountain Man, carved a path by cutting the mountain for 22 years. If Dashrath Manjhi is famous today, it is because of Rahul Gandhi’s family, clan, party, because the mismanagement due to which Dashrath Manjhi’s wife Falguni died in 1959 was the result of the Congress government of that time. From 1960 to 1982, Manjhi cut the mountain single-handedly, but the Congress governments remained conveniently indifferent as if in hibernation.
Even before this, Congress dominated the politics of India and Bihar and even after that Congress ruled for a long time, but instead of development work, the Congress party turned a blind eye to the problems and troubles of the common people. No roads were built, no hospitals, no help was provided. Congress not only took 22 years to take care of the path that Manjhi made with his hard work, but never took care of it at all. Today Rahul Gandhi is meeting the family of the same Dashrath Manjhi and praising his greatness.
Congress’s history of neglecting Dalits
Beyond the political theatrics, a careful look into the history of Congress, introduces one to the party’s legacy of ignoring Dalits. From the time of Dashrath Manjhi to later, Congress ruled Bihar for a long time. But what changed? There were no roads, no hospitals, no schools in the villages. People like Manjhi kept cutting mountains risking their lives and the Congress governments were busy in the politics of power. Later when the governments of Lalu Yadav and Rabri Devi, who were allies of Congress, came, even then no one took care of Manjhi. For 15 years Lalu-Rabri pushed Bihar into jungle raj, and did nothing for people like Manjhi, all while pretending to be the messiah of the marginalised and poor.
It was the JDU’s Nitish Kumar and BJP duo, who got the road built by Manjhi paved. Nitish Kumar honoured Dashrath Manjhi, built a road in his name and sent his name for Padmashri. Not only this, he also gave him a state farewell after his death. But Rahul Gandhi is today going to Manjhi’s village and is eulogising the Mountain Man to garner support of Dalits.
Dear Rahul Gandhi, if your party had paid a little attention at that time towards building basic infrastructure, then perhaps Manjhi would not have had to break the mountain with a hammer and chisel for 22 years.
Manjhi’s family and the politics of Congress ticket
Now let’s talk about Manjhi’s family. Dashrath Manjhi’s son Bhagirath Manjhi has joined the Congress. The family is now asking for a ticket from the Congress for the assembly elections . This is the same family, which the Congress never even asked about while Dashrath Manjhi was alive. Manjhi was alive till 2007, however the Congress party did not bother to look after him. Now when the assembly elections in Bihar are near, Rahul Gandhi remembered Manjhi’s village. He got photos clicked holding Bhagirath Manjhi’s hand, made videos and made them viral on social media. But the question is, is all this true love for Dalits, or is it a drama done for votes?
The Congress’s party’s shrewd tactic needs to be understood here. Congress has centered its entire leadership in Bihar around Dalits. The party’s command in the state has been handed over to Rajesh Ram. When he reached Darbhanga, he entered the Ambedkar hostel without permission and started interacting with Dalit students. When he reached Patna, he started watching a Phule film. When he reached Rajgir, he conducted a dialogue program with Dalits and tribals.
And now by visiting the Mountain Man’s house and offering garlands, Rahul Gandhi is continuing this pattern.. Perhaps, he will also give a ticket to Manjhi’s family for the assembly elections, so that he can prove himself to be the messiah of Dalits, but the public understands everything. If the Congress was so concerned about Dalits, then why did it forget Manjhi for 22 years? Why did it not pay attention even after his death 27 years later? Now when the need for votes arose, the drama of offering garlands and taking photographs has started.
Gandhi family’s anti-Dalit history
The Gandhi family’s attitude towards Dalits has always been questionable. During Indira Gandhi’s time, Babu Jagjivan Ram was prevented from becoming the Prime Minister, just because he was a Dalit. Not only this, Indira got his son’s sex scandal published in her daughter-in-law’s newspaper, so that Jagjivan Ram’s image is tarnished. Is this the Gandhi family’s love for Dalits? Today Rahul Gandhi is visiting Dalit homes in Bihar, but his heart is not there at all. Look at his face while offering garlands, it seems as if someone is forcing him to do so.
This Bihar tour of Rahul Gandhi is his fifth tour in the last five months. First Darbhanga, Patna, Samastipur, West Champaran and now Gaya, Rajgir, Bodhgaya. Everywhere the same drama – offer garland, get a photo clicked and make it viral on social media. Went to Jarasandha Memorial in Rajgir, offered garland to the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar and then met people from the extremely backward society. But how true is all this? If there was so much concern for Dalits and backward people, then what did Congress do for them in its 60 years of rule? BJP is also making the same allegation.
Rahul Gandhi’s Bihar tour and his visit to Dashrath Manjhi’s village is a well-planned political drama. The pretence of offering garlands, the drama of meeting the family and the viral video on social media – all this is for votes. Congress has a history of ignoring Dalits and the poor. Dashrath Manjhi cut mountains for 22 years, but Congress governments did not take care of him because Congress has a history of making promises, giving slogans but not turning them into reality. Today Rahul Gandhi is going to Manjhi’s village and praising his greatness, but the truth is that Manjhi did not get the respect he should have got under Congress rule.
