Mallikarjun Kharge’s 'baap' remark on PM Modi sparks row, BJP hits back

NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge triggered a controversy on Sunday with his remark, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Modi’s father will also be defeated), at a programme in Patna. In a video shared by ANI, a person can be heard shouting, “Modi nahi jayega” (Modi will not be defeated), prompting a response from Kharge. “Modi ka baap bhi jayega … baap bhi jayega,” the Congress president retorted, as party workers escorted the person out of the hall. Targeting PM Modi further, Kharge called the prime minister a “habitual liar”. “PM Modi has a habit of telling lies. He had promised to bring back black money within his first 100 days. I want to ask, where is that money?” Kharge asked.

The BJP hit back, with Union home minister Amit Shah accusing Kharge of crossing all limits. Shah attributed the Congress’s “frustration” to its repeated electoral defeats since 2014. "This is not the first time that the Congress party has used abusive language against Modi ji or his family. At times, they have used derogatory remarks about his revered mother; at other times, they have labelled him a 'maut ka saudagar' (merchant of death); and on other occasions, they have mocked his humble background by calling him a 'chaiwala' (tea seller). Under the leadership of Rahul Gandhi, the Congress party is crossing the boundaries of indecency with each passing day," Shah wrote in Hindi on X, referring to remarks by Congress leaders against the prime minister. "Having faced consecutive electoral defeats over the past 12 years, the Congress party has become so mired in frustration and despair that it is now left with neither a coherent policy nor any substantive issues—only a politics of abuse. Having already lost public support, the Congress is now losing its footing even among its own party workers," he added.

The home minister further stated that the public would give the Congress a “befitting reply”, as it had in the past whenever party leaders used alleged indecent language against PM Modi or his family. BJP spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari attributed Kharge’s remarks to the Congress’s frustration over what he predicted would be a poor turnout at the party’s upcoming rally in Delhi. “Frustration of Congress is out in the open! Knowing its 1st November rally is about to be a flop show, knowing Rahul Gandhi's anarchy is being called out, knowing it is not getting support of People of India; Congress frustration is out in the open! Congress statement proves People of India are with PM Modi,” Bhandari posted on X. The Congress and its allies are scheduled to hold a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1 to protest alleged “vote chori” by the Election Commission in favour of the ruling BJP.