Prashant Kishor tells Mithila Brahmins to pick pen over axe

Prashant Kishor tells Mithila Brahmins their strength is the pen, not the axe

Politics Desk | Monday, November 9, 2026, 17:13 IST

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor speaking at a gathering in Darbhanga, Bihar

Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor told Mithila Brahmins their real strength lies in education and scholarship, not in wielding the axe.

Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, speaking in the heart of Bihar's Mithila, told the region's famed Brahmins some uncomfortable truths about their declining fortunes, their involvement in politics and their obsession with past glory.

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Kishor questioned why Brahmins in Bihar, who make up around 3 to 4 percent of the state's population, remained economically distressed despite having elected Brahmin MLAs and MPs for years. Invoking Lord Parshuram, the axe-wielding warrior-sage revered by Brahmins, he told them that their real strength was not in wielding the axe but in holding the pen, reading books and preserving their centuries-old tradition of scholarship.

Why a demand for a Brahmin candidate triggered Kishor

Kishor's remarks came after a participant at the Darbhanga event demanded that a Brahmin be fielded as the candidate from his party. Kishor responded by questioning the community's electoral choices. He described Mithila as a former land of scholars that had become a land of labourers, and argued that the Brahmins had abandoned the education and social responsibility that once defined them. The speech was delivered at a Brahmin community event in Mahinam village of Darbhanga district. Jan Suraaj posted about it on X on November 5, and videos were shared on the party's official YouTube handle on November 6 and by influencers thereafter. Some of the clips have gone viral now. Most of the reactions to Kishor's remarks were appreciative, with several people praising his candour, while others slammed him.

Your MLA is already a Brahmin

Kishor, the Bankipur MLA, was responding to a demand that the constituency's candidate should be a Brahmin. He said, "Your MLA is already a Brahmin. And not just for a day or two, but for 15 years. Your MP is also a Brahmin. Then, why are you living in such hardship? If electing a Brahmin alone could solve your problems, you should not have been suffering at all." The remarks challenged the assumption that caste-based representation necessarily delivered development for the community. He claimed that children from more than half of village families were struggling to find jobs paying Rs 10,000 to Rs 20,000. Kishor said even people owning 20 to 30 bighas of land privately approached him seeking recommendations for their children's employment.

The Muslim votes question

Another section of Kishor's speech questioned the Brahmin community's relationship with Muslims, extremely backward classes and the BJP. Kishor claimed Brahmin leaders had historically enjoyed support from Muslim voters, who account for around 18 percent of Bihar's population, but lost it after aligning themselves with the BJP and engaging in anti-Muslim rhetoric on social media. He said, "You started carrying the BJP's flag, and the Muslim votes drifted away. What dispute do you have with Muslims, over land or reservations? You abuse them on Facebook, and then wonder why those who once voted for you have abandoned you." Invoking Lord Parashurama, he urged Brahmins to rediscover their traditional strengths of education and scholarship, saying their job was not to wield the axe.

Praise, criticism and Jan Suraaj's rise

The speech divided opinion online. Political analyst Madan Mohan Jha said Kishor's assessment was closer to reality, adding that some had objected to his tone but the substance spoke to something real in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, where a section of upper-caste voters feels unheard by the party it supported. Others on X praised the remarks as a hard-hitting truth and urged Maithil Brahmins to reflect on their declining political influence. The speech also attracted criticism. Journalist Uma Shankar accused Kishor of insulting the Maithil community in its own heartland, while Jan Suraaj Sangharsh Vahini state president Anup Maithil alleged that the BJP's IT cell was spreading confusion about the remarks after they received public support. Social worker Yadav Kushewar defended Kishor on Facebook, arguing that his remarks were being wrongly portrayed as an insult. Kishor's remarks come after two significant electoral breakthroughs for the Jan Suraaj Party. He won the Bankipur Assembly bypoll in August by defeating the BJP candidate in a seat long considered its bastion. Weeks ago, the Jan Suraaj Party's first MLC win also came from Darbhanga. The party now seeks to expand its footprint and take the opposition space in Bihar.