‘Whole Pakistan’ Rhetoric Enters Bihar Elections 2025

“Ma Jag Dambe Ma, Kashmir ke saath pura Pakistan de Ma…” began playing from a song shortly after the procession entered the Muslim-majority area.

By MANISH ANAND

Bhagalpur, October 5, 2025 — The electricity supply as part of an annual routine was disconnected on the afternoon of Durga idol immersion procession. Mishaps in the past after the processions accidently touched electric wires on the street introduced the practice to disconnect power supply during religious processions.

The Durga idol immersion procession, which started from Parbatti, had reached Tatarpur — Bhagalpur’s communal nerve centre. It was here in 1989 that a Ram Janmabhoomi procession carrying bricks for the proposed Ayodhya temple had sparked one of India’s worst communal riots, which raged for months and left hundreds dead.

Songs boomed with heavy sound boxes from trucks. Devotional songs played. But now they changed tunes. “Ma Jag Dambe Ma, Kashmir ke saath pura Pakistan de Ma…” began playing from a song shortly after the procession entered the Muslim-majority area.

Muslims kept busy with their works. Some stood on the sides of the road. They sported curious smiles, as they heard devotional songs mentioning Pakistan.

In 1989, the communal riots broke out after the Ramjnamabhoomi procession was attacked with crude bombs, hurled from rooftops. The accompanying police fired back, aiming at the attackers. Participants dispersed and came under more attacks. Bhagalpur communal riots left indelible imprints on Indian politics.

“Ma Jag Dambe Ma, Sindh hame do, akand Bharat ek baar phir kar do…,” the Durga idol immersion procession boomed in the middle of Tatarpur. Kashmir, Sindh, Pakistan, and ‘Akhand Bharat’ mixed into the devotional songs.

Passing the Muslim dominated locality, the procession entered the main market to finally proceed to the Ganga Riverbank for the resting place of the idol. All along the route, the Pakistan theme stayed in songs sung in praise of Goddess Durga.

Operation Sindoor, carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, seems to have left a never-ending saga of Pakistan bashing. The Indian mainstream Hindi television runs primetime Pakistan-centric programmes. Most of them are monologues. They invariably are repetitive.

Asim Munir, Asia Cup “Trophy Chor”, and Pakistan occupied Kashmir “revolt” fill the monologue contents of the television. From street to the studio, Pakistan stays at the centre stage of the discourse.

The narrative fanned from the studios evidently has struck chords with the people. Bihar will vote next month in the Assembly elections. This will also be the first occasion when electoral might of Operation Sindoor may reveal.

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About The Author

Manish Anand

Manish Anand is a senior journalist with more than two decades of hardcore reporting on beats such as Prime Minister’s Office, Parliament, BJP, Congress, Planning Commission, NITI Aayog, and scores of Union Ministries.

His past has been with The New Indian Express, The Asian Age/Deccan Chronicle, and The Statesman.

For about 15 years, Manish was also a regular commentator and host for talks on AIR on foreign affairs.

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