Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sparks controversy in Patna, attacking PM Modi, the RSS ideology, and criticizing Nitish Kumar for shifting alliances, while condemning untouchability incidents across the country.
Kharge Sparks Controversy at Patna Event
A ruckus broke out during Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge’s address at the 139th birth anniversary celebration of Dr Shri Krishna Singh in Patna, Bihar, on Sunday. During the address, a person present at the event reportedly said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not go anywhere. Responding to the remark, Kharge said, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.” He further hit out at the Prime Minister, saying PM Modi has a habit of telling lies. “PM Modi has a habit of telling lies. He had said that he would bring back black money in his first 100 days. I want to ask, where is that money?” Kharge asked.
Attacks on RSS Ideology
He also launched a scathing attack on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling for ending its ideology in the country. Kharge said, “As long as the ideology of the RSS persists in this country, there will be no peace.” The Congress leader also accused the Sangh of engaging in communal activities since its inception. “If we speak about the RSS today, people might interpret it differently…well, the reason you are being targeted is that you have been engaged in this very same activity ever since your inception—that is why you are being targeted. Therefore, as long as the ideology of the RSS persists in this country, there will be no peace,” Kharge said.
Critique of Nitish Kumar and Untouchability
Recalling the Haldwani purification incident in August, Kharge strongly condemned the practice of untouchability. He also questioned former Bihar CM and JD(U) chief Nitish Kumar switching to the NDA led by the BJP despite being a flagbearer of the sociality ideology. He said, “Even today, the RSS-BJP is rife with people who harbour notions of untouchability and hold views that run counter to the Constitution. It saddens me that Nitish Kumar, who entered the political scene carrying the ideology of the Socialist Party, has ended up in the lap of the BJP and the RSS. This is what happens when a person becomes weak and abandons their ideology.”
Haldwani Purification Incident
“On August 8, 2026, in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, a purification ritual was performed for the stage located near a temple. 80 years after Independence, how will there be unity if untouchability prevails?” Kharge added. The purification row happened after a Congress rally at Ramlila Ground in Haldwani, when members of a right-wing group later conducted a ‘shuddhikaran’ (purification) ritual at the venue, triggering criticism from Congress leaders, who alleged that the act amounted to ‘untouchability’.
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