Mallikarjun Kharge’s latest remark in Patna has triggered a political row, with the BJP demanding an apology.
From Sonia Gandhi’s ‘maut ka saudagar’ remark to Mani Shankar Aiyar’s jibes, Congress leaders’ comments have repeatedly drawn BJP criticism.
Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Modi surname’ remark and Kharge’s ‘Ravana’ and ‘poisonous snake’ comments also triggered major political controversies over the years.
Mallikarjun Kharge’s latest remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi have triggered a political row, with BJP leaders demanding an apology and accusing the Congress of making a personal attack on the prime minister.
At an event in Patna on Sunday, Kharge said, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Even Modi’s father will have to go), while attacking the BJP-led government over alleged irregularities in electoral rolls and what the Congress calls “vote chori”.
The remark came after someone in the audience suggested that Modi would not leave office. Kharge responded with the comment, which the BJP seized upon to target the Congress.
The latest controversy follows a series of confrontations between the two parties over remarks directed at Modi. The BJP has repeatedly accused Congress leaders of resorting to personal attacks, while some of the party’s leaders have faced criticism within the Congress itself over their choice of words.
Sonia Gandhi’s ‘Maut Ka Saudagar’ Remark
One of the earliest major flashpoints came during the 2007 Gujarat Assembly elections, when then Congress president Sonia Gandhi described Modi, who was the state’s chief minister, as “maut ka saudagar”, or merchant of death, in reference to the 2002 Gujarat riots.
The BJP made the remark a campaign issue, accusing the Congress of insulting Gujarat and its people. Modi repeatedly invoked the phrase during the campaign, presenting himself as the target of the Opposition’s attacks. The BJP went on to win the Assembly elections.
Mani Shankar Aiyar’s Remarks In 2014 And 2017
Another controversy erupted ahead of the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, when Modi’s background as a tea seller became a prominent part of his political narrative.
At a Congress event, party leader Mani Shankar Aiyar mocked the prospect of Modi becoming prime minister and suggested that he could sell tea at a Congress gathering. The remark was widely seen as a jibe at Modi’s humble origins.
During the 2017 Gujarat Assembly election campaign, Aiyar described Modi as a “neech kisam ka aadmi”. Modi responded by invoking his background and accused the Congress of looking down on him.
Sonia Gandhi disapproved of Aiyar’s language and asked him to apologise. The Congress suspended him from its primary membership. Aiyar later apologised, saying he had intended to criticise Modi’s conduct rather than his caste or birth.
‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ And Modi Surname Remark
The 2019 Lok Sabha election campaign saw further clashes over remarks directed at Modi. Rahul Gandhi repeatedly used the slogan “Chowkidar chor hai” to target the prime minister over allegations linked to the Rafale fighter-jet deal. The government and the BJP rejected the allegations.
At a rally in Kolar, Karnataka, Rahul asked, “Why do all thieves have Modi surnames?”, referring to Nirav Modi, Lalit Modi and Narendra Modi.
The remark led BJP MLA Purnesh Modi to file a criminal defamation case against Rahul Gandhi. In March 2023, a Surat court convicted Rahul and sentenced him to two years in prison, resulting in his disqualification from the Lok Sabha.
In August 2023, the Supreme Court stayed the conviction, allowing Rahul to regain his parliamentary membership.
The campaign also saw Congress leader Sam Pitroda compare Modi’s use of nationalism as a political issue to Adolf Hitler. Pitroda argued that questioning the government should not automatically make critics anti-national.
Kharge’s ‘Ravana’ And ‘Poisonous Snake’ Remarks
Kharge has faced similar criticism over his remarks on Modi. During the Gujarat Assembly election campaign in November 2022, he questioned the BJP’s reliance on the prime minister’s popularity to seek votes for party candidates and compared Modi to “Ravana with 100 heads”.
Kharge argued that BJP candidates were seeking votes in Modi’s name despite contesting on their own records. The BJP accused him of insulting the prime minister through the Ravana reference.
Another controversy erupted during the Karnataka Assembly election campaign in April 2023, when Kharge compared Modi to a “poisonous snake”.
Kharge later clarified that he was referring to the BJP’s ideology rather than Modi personally. The BJP rejected the explanation and cited the remark as another instance of the Congress crossing the line in its attacks on the prime minister.
The latest exchange in Patna has added to the series of controversies over political rhetoric between the Congress and the BJP, with the two parties continuing to trade accusations over the language used by their leaders.
