Begusarai: Bihar Sports Minister and BJP MLA Surendra Mehta has sparked a storm of online reactions after distributing blankets to villagers during an event held in peak summer, with temperatures hovering around 40 degrees Celsius.
The incident took place on April 6 in Ahiyaapur village under Mansurchak block of Begusarai district, as part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s 45th foundation day celebrations. Over 700 villagers attended the event, where Mehta handed out blankets — described as ang vastra, a traditional cloth offered as a mark of respect — despite the sweltering heatwave gripping much of North India.
Photos and videos of the ceremony quickly went viral on social media, drawing widespread criticism, sarcasm, and political jibes. While the distribution was intended as a symbolic gesture of gratitude, many questioned its relevance during the ongoing heatwave.
Tripura Congress secretary Sanjib Bhattacharya was among those who criticized the event, posting a video clip on X (formerly Twitter) and commenting, “As soon as the Congress party launched the ‘Palayan Roko, Naukri Do’ campaign for the youth of Bihar, it sparked visible unease among BJP leaders in the state. So much so, that Bihar Sports Minister Surendra Mehta quickly rolled out a ‘blanket distribution’ scheme — in the middle of scorching summer.”
Addressing the crowd from a decorated stage, Mehta justified the act as a gesture of honour and respect. In a Facebook post, which has since been deleted, he wrote, “On the 45th foundation day of the world’s largest party committed to the upliftment of the poor and nation-building, we honoured people in Ahiyaapur by offering ang vastra. Jai BJP, Jai Bharat Mata.”
Though the minister has not issued a statement in response to the criticism, the unusual timing of the blanket distribution has ignited debate on symbolism and political messaging, particularly as Bihar heads toward a high-stakes Assembly election. The BJP, in alliance with Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United), is working to retain its political ground in the state.
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