BJP held protests across states, demanding Kharge’s resignation over his Modi remark.
Rajnath Singh condemned the comment and criticised Congress leaders for defending it.
Priyank Kharge accused BJP of ignoring past remarks by its own leaders.
The BJP staged protests across states on Monday, demanding Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s resignation and an apology over his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi at an event in Patna.
The controversy began on Sunday when Kharge responded to an audience member who said the prime minister would not go anywhere. “Modi ka baap bhi jayega,” the Congress chief said, drawing criticism from BJP leaders, who described the remark as “indecent and offensive”.
Congress leaders countered that the BJP had remained silent when Sonia Gandhi and Kharge faced derogatory comments.
BJP Workers Burn Effigies And Posters
In Bihar, BJP leaders and workers marched against Kharge, shouted slogans demanding his resignation and burned his effigy. Party workers in Jammu burned his posters, while a demonstration at Bengaluru’s Freedom Park demanded an apology.
The party organised protests at state headquarters and major centres, including Delhi, Mumbai, Patna, Ranchi and Kolkata.
Rajnath Singh Condemns Kharge's Remark
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was shocked and deeply hurt, interpreting Kharge’s comment as a reference to Modi’s late father.
“It's deeply distressing... What is most shocking about this entire episode is that these comments were not made by some ordinary Congress worker or a youth leader, but by the national president of a party that claims to be the oldest political party in the country,” Singh said.
He also criticised Congress leaders for defending Kharge rather than expressing regret.
“The Congress did not stop there; they are hurting people's sentiments by attempting to justify Kharge ji's words. Instead of acknowledging their mistake and expressing regret, the Congress is busy defending and validating this statement,” he said.
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi accused the Congress leadership of lowering the standard of political discourse and linked Kharge’s remarks to Rahul Gandhi’s influence.
“Bringing up the names of late parents of any leader or any person who is no longer in public life shows the frustration and effect of the company of Rahul Gandhi,” Joshi said.
He also alleged that Sonia Gandhi had previously used similar language.
Congress Questions BJP’s Response
Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge defended his father and accused the BJP of turning a non-issue into a controversy.
“These cultured people have forgotten what Modi and Shah have said in the past. We don't need to learn culture from them,” he said.
RJD MP Manoj Jha, whose party is a Congress ally in the INDIA bloc, said such conduct was not expected from Kharge and that there were “no two opinions about this”. However, he questioned what he described as selective outrage.
“I haven't seen such outrage, neither in the media nor in other parties when BJP leaders commented on Sonia Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge in the past,” Jha said.
