NEW DELHI: The political controversy erupted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge allegedly referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist" during a press conference in Tamil Nadu. His remarks triggered a sharp political backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with Union Ministers and senior leaders strongly condemning the statement and demanding an apology.
Union Minister Piyush Goyal reacted strongly, calling the remarks "deplorable" and stating that insulting the Prime Minister was equivalent to insulting the mandate of 140 crore Indians. He accused the Congress of stooping to a new low and warned that such personal attacks would have political consequences in upcoming elections. Goyal also demanded that both Kharge and leaders like Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin apologise for the comments.
BJP spokesperson and MP Sambit Patra also launched a strong attack, describing the statement as part of what he called a "planned strategy" by the Congress to insult and target the Prime Minister. He alleged that the opposition had a history of using abusive language against Modi and claimed the party would face electoral consequences for such remarks. Patra further criticised the Congress, accusing it of associating with separatist or controversial figures in past political narratives, and contrasted it with the welfare schemes implemented under the Modi government.
The controversy stems from Kharge's original remarks, where he criticised the AIADMK for aligning with the BJP and questioned how they could support Modi, whom he referred to as a "terrorist" in the context of alleged governance practices. He also accused the ruling alliance of weakening democratic principles and the legacy of leaders like Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar, and B.R. Ambedkar.
Following the backlash, Kharge issued a clarification, stating that his comments were not meant to label Modi literally as a terrorist. He explained that his intention was to highlight what he described as people being "terrorised" and institutions being used to intimidate citizens.
The episode has intensified political tensions between the Congress and the BJP, with both sides exchanging sharp accusations ahead of key electoral battles. (IANS)
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