New Delhi: Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has accused Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of insulting Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities after the BJP leader allegedly used “abusive and derogatory” remarks against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
In a post on X, Rahul said the remarks against Kharge was condemnable and unacceptable. He described Kharge as a senior and widely respected Dalit leader, adding that any insult directed at him amounted to an insult to crores of people belonging to SC/ST communities.
असम के मुख्यमंत्री हिमंता बिस्वा सरमा द्वारा कांग्रेस अध्यक्ष और राज्यसभा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष मल्लिकार्जुन खरगे जी के विरुद्ध इस्तेमाल की गई अभद्र और घटिया भाषा पूरी तरह निंदनीय, शर्मनाक और अस्वीकार्य है।
खरगे जी देश के एक वरिष्ठ और लोकप्रिय दलित और जननेता हैं – उनका अनुभव, कद और…
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 7, 2026
‘An insult to crores of people’
“Kharge ji is a senior and widely respected Dalit leader of the country — his experience, stature, and credibility are unparalleled. Insulting him is not just an attack on an individual, but an insult to crores of people belonging to the SC-ST communities across India,” Rahul’s post read.
Congress leaders also shared a video of Sarma interacting with reporters, in which he is purportedly heard using the word “mad” for Kharge.
‘Dalit leaders are targeted when they speak out’
Rahul Gandhi further alleged that such remarks reflect a “long-standing mindset” of the BJP and RSS, adding that Dalit leaders are targeted when they speak out. He said this was not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern.
“Be it disrespecting B R Ambedkar, undermining Dalit leaders, or launching personal attacks against representatives of SC-ST communities — history shows that whenever a Dalit leader speaks up, the BJP and RSS resort to such insults. This is their ideology. This is their real character and face,” he said.
Rahul asks weather PM Modi endorses such remarks
Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Rahul asked whether he endorses Sarma’s remarks, adding that silence on the issue would be seen as consent.
“If the Prime Minister remains silent while the dignity of crores of Dalits is under attack, he is not only evading responsibility but also becoming a participant in that insult,” he wrote further.