India, Oct. 30 -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing an election rally in Muzaffarpur, accused the Congress and RJD leaders of insulting the revered Chhath festival and its devotees in their bid to secure votes in Bihar.

"The women who observe long fasts without water, who stand in the sacred Ganga and offer arghya to Surya Dev, in the eyes of the RJD and Congress, they are merely doing drama," Modi said.

"Will the mothers and sisters of Bihar tolerate this insult to Chhathi Maiyya? No true Bihari can ever forget such disrespect," he added.

The Prime Minister said his government is working to secure a UNESCO heritage tag for the Chhath festival.

Stepping up his attack on the opposition, Modi asked, "Those who looted the railways...