When Bihar Congress set up a tea stall — minus sugar

Indian Express

19-07-2025

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on Friday to Motihari in Bihar was met with political protests from the Opposition, RJD and Congress, who accused him of failing to revive the Motihari and Chanpatia sugar mills — a promise they said he made during the 2014 election campaign in Champaran.
The Youth Congress in Motihari also came up with a unique way to make their point. They set up a stall at Gandhi Chowk where they served tea without sugar.
Bettiah Youth Congress president Shiv Pujari, who was making tea, said, 'In 2014, the Prime Minister had promised from Champaran's land that he would revive the sugar mills, and the next time, he would have tea made with Motihari's sugar. This is his fifth rally here since then, yet there's no word on the mills. Today, we welcome him with feeki chai (sugarless tea).'
At different locations in Motihari, Youth Congress members had also put up posters that read, 'Ka Modi ji? Abki baar Motihari aur Chanpatia ke cheeni mill ke cheeni ke chai peeke jayem nu (So, Modi ji? This time, will you have tea made with sugar from the Motihari-Chanpatia sugar mill before you leave)?'
Congress spokesperson Gyan Ranjan Gupta, meanwhile, said, 'He (Modi) promised Kashi would become Kyoto. Where is that? In Bihar, there are on average 229 murders every month. Paper leaks are routine. The PM, who couldn't restart a single sugar mill, now talks of making Motihari like Mumbai. The biggest promise is always a jumla (empty slogan).'
Former deputy chief minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav took to his X account and wrote, 'Pradhanmantri ji, vaadanusar Bihar mein ek cheeni mill tak nahin khulwa sakein, baaki udhyogon ki to apeksha hi bekaar hai. Sab kuch to Pradhanmantri ji Gujarat le gaye, Bihar ko to sirf jumle dene aate hain. (Prime Minister, as per your promise, you have not been able to reopen even a single sugar mill in Bihar. There is no point expecting anything when it comes to other industries. The Prime Minister has shifted everything to Gujarat and only comes to Bihar with empty slogans).'
In his address, the Prime Minister accused the previous RJD-Congress governments of 'revenge politics' and neglect. He also listed new investments and infrastructure initiatives, adding, 'So much work is happening in Bihar today because both Centre and state governments are working for the state's progress.'
Assembly elections are set to be held in Bihar later this year. During his visit on Friday, Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth around Rs 7,200 crore, encompassing new road and rail projects, software technology parks, and investments in rural development and housing support. The event also saw the flagging off of four Amrit Bharat trains and the announcement of Rs 400 crore for women's self-help groups across Bihar.