During a rally in Tamil Nadu, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge made ‘terrorist’ remarks on PM Modi. Now BJP has complained about this to the Election Commission. BJP says that this is a blatant violation of the code of conduct and Kharge should apologize publicly.
On Tuesday, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has filed a ‘strong complaint’ against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. This complaint is regarding the ‘terrorist’ comment made on Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Rijiju also posted a letter on In this letter, BJP has alleged that the statement given by Kharge during the election campaign in Tamil Nadu is a clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).
Rijiju wrote on
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BJP has said in its complaint that this statement of Kharge has spread widely in digital and print media. The party believes that this could spoil the electoral environment and lower the level of political debate.
BJP’s allegation: This is a criminal case and character assassination
BJP says that calling the ‘country’s biggest political leader’ a terrorist is the ‘height of character assassination’. According to the party, this is very different and wrong from issue-based criticism. Apart from the Election Commission rules, BJP has argued that the remarks also amount to a criminal offense under several sections of the Indian Code of Justice (BNS), 2023. The party has specifically mentioned Section 175 (making false statements about the character of a candidate) and Section 356(1) (defamation). BJP argued that the use of ‘criminal-terrorist terminology’ is an attempt to influence the choice of voters by scaring them and tarnishing their image, and not to convince them through legal means.
BJP’s demand: Kharge should apologize, the statement should be removed
Finally, the BJP has demanded the Election Commission to direct Kharge to tender a public apology and withdraw the statement. Furthermore, the party has also appealed to the ECI to order immediate removal of this ‘objectionable statement’ from all social media and news platforms, so that it does not spread further during the election campaign.
That controversial statement of Kharge
This whole matter started on the last day of election campaigning in Tamil Nadu. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, while referring to opposition unity during the defeat of Delimitation Bill, targeted AIADMK for supporting BJP. During this, he called PM Modi a ‘terrorist’ who ‘does not believe in equality’.
Kharge said, “I also thank the people of Tamil Nadu who gave us MPs, that is why we could fight and defeat the bill. This is the land of scientific thinking and ideals of Periyar, Dr. Ambedkar, Annadurai, the great Kamaraj and Karunanidhi. These people stood for women’s reservation, justice, equality and fraternity. Modi is not for these principles and one more thing I want to say that these AIADMK people, who themselves They put Annadurai’s photo, how can they go with Modi who is a terrorist and who does not believe in equality, his party does not believe in equality and justice and these people are going with him, it means they are weakening democracy, they are weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar and Karunanidhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar. The Congress-DMK alliance will continue to deliver welfare, inclusive development, quality education and accessible healthcare.”
Kharg’s clarification after controversy
When his words were questioned, Kharge immediately defended himself. He claimed that he meant that the PM was intimidating his political opponents. Kharge said, “He (PM Modi) is terrorizing people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist… What I mean to say, let me make it clear, is that Modi always threatens. Institutions like ED, IT and CBI are in his hands. He also wants to take delimitation into his hands.”