Rahul Gandhi Grows Beard Akin To Terrorist Osama Bin Laden: BJP Leader

BJP’s Bihar chief Samrat Choudhary on Saturday has stoked a controversy by comparing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s appearance akin to slain terrorist Osama Bin Laden. 

"Congress leader Rahul Gandhi grows beard like Osama bin Laden and thinks that he will become like Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Choudhary was quoted by news agency PTI as having said. 

Choudhary's remarks came months after former Congress Chief Rahul Gandhi during his Bharata Jodo Yatra sported a beard, which he subsequently trimmed after the completion of the foot march.

The BJP leader also took a dig at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

"Nitish Kumar is going around the country, telling everyone he is the Prime Minister of the country. Is Nitish Kumar the PM?" Choudhary jibed drawing loud cheers from the crowd.

"Has he lost his mental balance or have I, Please tell me," Choudhary asked the crowd.

The BJP leader questioned the opposition's inability to decide on a prime ministerial candidate and said that Nitish Kumar's mental state resembled the character of Aamir Khan in the film 'Ghajini'.

A meeting of opposition parties have been organised by the JD(U) president Nitish Kumar later this month in Patna to chalk out a strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Kumar, had last year severed ties with the BJP to join the 'Mahagathbandhan' comprising the Congress, the RJD and the Left parties.

Earlier in November 2022, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma made similar comments.

"I did not say anything about his (Rahul Gandhi) look. I just said with time, your face has started looking the same as Saddam Hussein's, but if you shave your beard you will start looking like Nehru," the Assam chief minister said.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Chaudhary said that if the BJP forms the government in Bihar, action will be taken against those involved in cow slaughter.

Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan, on May 2, 2011, in a US Navy SEALS raid on his compound.