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From showing slippers to insulting Nitish Kumar: Six times Rabri Devi crossed limits

Former Bihar chief minister Rabri Devi has a history of making controversial remarks ranging from bizarre to funny to plainly lurid ones

Former Bihar chief Minister Rabri Devi is looking for suitable brides for her two minister sons- Tej Pratap and Tejashwi Prasad Yadav and she has specific choice for her would be daughter-in-laws. Expressing her wish on the occassion of his husband and RJD Supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav’s 70th birthday, Rabri said she is looking for girls who “don’t go to shopping malls or cinema theatres”. “Cinema hall aur mall jane wali ladki nahi chahiye. Ghar chalaane wali, bade buzurg ka aadar karne wali, jaise ki hum hain, waisi ladki chahiye. (I don’t want cinema hall and mall-going girls. She should be one who can look after the house, respect elders, and manage outside work, just like me). She especially wants a well cultured bride for her son Tej (Health ministry) who according to her, is very religious.

Well, it may be her personal views but the former chief minister has a history of making remarks ranging from bizarre to funny to plainly lurid ones. With the state performing worst on various parameters during her rule in Bihar, Lalu and Rabri became the face of state’s backwardness and its stereotypes.

1) The sister jibe on Sushil Modi: RJD has always been uncomfortable with the growing camaraderie between Narendra Modi and Nitish Kumar. Last year in November, Bihar BJP leader Sushil Modi openly invited Nitish Kumar to shun Lalu Yadav and join the old ally BJP. Rabri waded into controversy after a journalist asked her about Sushil Modi’s invitation. The fast-talking Rabri said, ” “Nitish Kumar ko aakar le jaayen Modijee. Le jaake apni behen se shadi kara dein,” (Let Sushil Kumar Modi come and take away Nitish Kumar and get him married with his sister). However, after her remarks drew widespread criticism she later described had only said it in a “lighter vein” (majekiya lehze me).

2) The RSS blooper: At a party function in January 2016, Rabri made a stinging remark on dress code of the RSS saying elderly RSS workers have no shame as they wear half pants in front of people . “RSS me budha budha admi half pant pahanta hai. RSS kaisa sangthan hay jaha budhe bhi half pant pahante hai. Logo ke same enhe half pant pahankar aane me sharam bhi nahi aata hai,(What type of organization the RSS is in which even senior old people come wearing knickers. Do they not feel shame in coming in public wearing half pants),” Rabri asked in her rustic style drawing laughter from the audience. As the RSS was already planning to go for trousers, after they did the same, Rabri and Lalu patted their own back saying Rabri’s comment forced RSS to quit shorts.

3) Insulting remarks against Nitish Kumar: Rabri, then an opposition leader, was in the thick of a controversy after she made crass remarks against against both Kumar and then state JD(U) President Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan. In April 2009, Rabri let loose a volley of abuse against Kumar at apol meeting. She said “Lalan Singh kaun hai? Lalan Singh Nitish Kumar ka saala hai. Hum khule aam bolenge. Aur Nitish Kumar kaun hai? Nitish Kumar Lallan Singh ka saala hai. Aur isiliye dono ek dusre ka haath pakde rehte hain “Lalan Singh is Nitish’s brother-in-law…and Nitish is Lalan’s brother-in-law. That’s why the two of them are often seen holding hands.” She was then booked for her abusive comments and EC also served her notice for poll code violation.

4) Advocating dynastic politics: Rabri had no qualms about propelling her children into politics. Asserting that dynasty politics was an intrinsic part of every party in India, Rabri had told Dailymail: “If the children of judges, engineers and doctors could pursue the careers of their parents, what was wrong if the sons and daughters of politicians did the same?” “I would like to introduce our children – both sons and daughters – into politics,” she added. “What’s wrong in it?” she added in the 2012 interview.

5) Calling Bihar Governor Langda: As Bihar Chief Minister in the late 90s, she had abused former governor Sundar Singh Bhandari calling him a “langda (lame)” at a public meeting and threatening to “break his other leg” Times of India reported.

6) Showing slipper: Well, at times distasteful remarks are not enough for the RJD leader. As leader of Opposition, she had shown slippers to a BJP MLA in the state assembly in March 2006. During her speech on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Rabri slammed Janata Dal (United) member Renu Devi for the charges she levelled against her but Rabri could not control her anger and took her lippers out to show BJP MLA Ramadhar Singh who had gestured that the Rashtriya Janata Dal leaders were destined to land in jail.

Here is how Twitter reacted to Rabri Devi’s demand of ideal Bahu

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