Kharge’s Remark On PM Modi: Why The BJP Has Called For Nationwide Protests

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will hold demonstrations at its state headquarters across the country on Monday over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father. The party has instructed its state units to organise protests, with BJP leaders and workers expected to participate.

The BJP has described Kharge’s comments as “insulting, indecent and offensive” and demanded an unconditional apology from the Congress president. The controversy erupted during a programme in Patna on Sunday, triggering criticism from senior BJP leaders and a police complaint against Kharge.

What Did Mallikarjun Kharge Say?

The controversy began on Sunday when Kharge addressed a programme at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna to mark the 139th birth anniversary of Shrikrishna Singh, Bihar’s first chief minister.

During his speech, Kharge criticised the BJP-led government over alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He said the Congress would send those allegedly responsible for irregularities in the exercise to jail.

A person in the audience interrupted him, saying that Modi would not leave office unless there was a rebellion against him. Kharge responded, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Let alone Modi, even his father would go).

The remark triggered a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the Congress president of crossing the limits of acceptable political discourse.

The Congress has alleged that the SIR exercise could lead to the deletion of opposition supporters’ names from electoral rolls, a charge contested by the BJP.

Why Is The BJP Protesting?

The BJP has accused Kharge of making an objectionable personal remark about the prime minister and his family. The party maintains that political disagreements should focus on governance and policies rather than personal attacks, particularly those involving deceased family members.

BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged that Kharge’s comments reflected what he described as Rahul Gandhi’s “uncivilised, uncultured politics of poisonous hate”.

Kesavan also accused the Congress leadership of repeatedly targeting Modi personally and lowering the standards of public discourse.

He described Kharge’s remarks as an insult to the electoral mandate and demanded an unconditional apology from the Congress president and the party leadership.

The BJP said the nationwide demonstrations would register its opposition to the remarks and convey its objection to what it considers an unacceptable departure from the standards of political debate.

What Have Amit Shah And Nitin Nabin Said?

Union Home Minister Amit Shah strongly criticised Kharge’s remarks, describing them as indecent. He accused the Congress of repeatedly targeting Modi and his family, citing previous controversies involving comments about the prime minister’s mother, his background and the description of Modi as a “merchant of death”.

Shah also linked the latest controversy to what he described as the Congress’s frustration following repeated electoral defeats, accusing the party of resorting to personal attacks instead of addressing substantive political issues.

BJP president Nitin Nabin also condemned Kharge’s remarks, describing them as a reflection of the Congress’s “ideological bankruptcy”.

Nabin argued that political opposition should be conducted with dignity and criticised the reference to deceased family members during public speeches. He added that people were watching what he characterised as the Congress’s indecent politics and would respond at the appropriate time.

BJP Files Police Complaint In Patna

The political confrontation also led to a police complaint against Kharge in Patna on Sunday.

BJP worker Krishna Kumar Singh filed the complaint at the Kotwali police station, demanding that the Congress president apologise for his remarks within 24 hours, PTI reported, citing a police officer.

The officer said the complaint would be transferred to the Gandhi Maidan police station because the matter falls under its jurisdiction.

The complaint follows Kharge’s remarks at the Patna programme and adds a legal dimension to the political dispute.

What Happens Next?

The BJP’s demonstrations at state headquarters are expected to intensify the confrontation between the ruling party and the Congress. The protests follow demands from senior BJP leaders for an unconditional apology from Kharge.

The Congress had not issued an immediate clarification on the controversy in the information available.

The dispute comes amid an ongoing political confrontation over the SIR exercise, with the Congress accusing the BJP and the Election Commission of India of facilitating the deletion of opposition supporters from electoral rolls, allegations the BJP contests.

The nationwide protests are likely to keep the exchange between the two parties in focus, with the Congress’s response to the BJP’s demands remaining a key point of interest.