BJP leaders slammed Mallikarjun Kharge over his “terrorist” remark against PM Modi. Kharge clarified he meant the PM misuses agencies to “terrorise” opponents. The BJP filed an EC complaint and demanded a public apology from the Congress President.
Kharge Clarifies ‘Terrorist’ Remark
BJP leaders slammed Mallikarjun Kharge over his calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi “terrorist” during a press conference on the last day of campaigning in Tamil Nadu with the Congress President later clarifying that what he meant was that Prime Minister misuses central agencies “to terrorise” his opponents.
BJP filed a “strong complaint” with the Election Commission over Kharge’s remarks and also sought an apology from him. Kharge told ANI in Kalaburagi on Tuesday said that he did not call Prime Minister “a terrorist” but spoke about the victimization of political opponents by the Modi government.
Kharge alleged that Prime Minister “is terrorising politicians” and “tax terrorism is happening” .”I did not speak against the PM. PM is terrorising politicians, candidates and regarding this, I said that tax terrorism is happening, ED is conducting raids, Income Tax Dept is conducting raids, CBI is conducting raids…this terrorism is being facilitated by the PM. I did not call him a terrorist…he is scaring people. He is trying to silence people through raids and attempting to defeat them in elections. This is what I said in Chennai,” he said.
What Kharge Said in Tamil Nadu
Earlier, Kharge courted controversy on the last day of the election campaign in Tamil Nadu.Highlighting opposition unity during the defeat of the Delimitation Bill, which had also been linked to the passage of the Women’s Reservation Bill, the Congress President criticised the AIADMK for supporting the BJP and labelled PM Modi a “terrorist who does not believe in equality.” “I also thank the Tamil Nadu people who have given MPs to us; that’s why we were able to fight and defeat the bill. This is the land of scientific thinking and ideals of Periyar, Dr. Ambedkar, Annadurai, great Kamaraj and Karunanidhi. These people stood for this woman’s reservation, justice, equality, and fraternity. Modi is not for these principles and one more thing I want to tell how this AIADMK people who themselves put the photo of Annadurai, how can they join with Modi who is a terrorist and who won’t believe in equality, his party won’t believe in equality and justice and these people are joining with them, it means that 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 growth, quality education and accessible healthcare,” he said.
When questioned on the choice of words, Kharge quickly defended himself, claiming that he meant to say that the PM was terrorising his political opponents. “He (PM Modi) is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist…What I mean, I want to clarify, is that Modi always threatens. The institutions like ED, I-T and CBI are in his hands. He wants to take delimitation also into his hands,” Kharge said.
BJP Launches All-Out Attack
Tamil Nadu will go to the polls on April 23, with counting scheduled for May 4. The BJP alleged that the statement made during the Tamil Nadu Assembly election campaign by Kharge is a gross violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC). “We have filed a strong complaint against Congress President Shri @kharge ji for his shocking and disgraceful remark calling Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi ji a “terrorist.” This is not just derogatory, it is a dangerous & unprecedented attack on democratic institutions. A blatant violation of the Model Code of Conduct. Immediate action is non-negotiable,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju sad in a post on X.
‘New Low in Political Discourse’: Piyush Goyal
Union Minister Piyush Goyal also criticised the Congress-DMK alliance, calling the remarks a “new low” in political discourse. He demanded an apology from Congress leadership and DMK allies, stating that such comments insult not only the Prime Minister but also the citizens of India. “I feel ashamed that the Congress party and Stalin’s DMK party have come to such a low level. They’ve stooped to this low level that a democratically elected Prime Minister, elected by the people of India, is being called a terrorist. I strongly condemn Kharge’s statement. I demand an apology from both the partners, Rahul Gandhi and MK Stalin, for this downright insult of the people of India,” Goyal said.
Goyal condemned the remarks as not just a personal attack on the Prime Minister, but an affront to the dignity of the Indian electorate and the state of Tamil Nadu. He said that calling the leader of the world’s largest democracy a “terrorist” is a “downright insult” to 140 crore Indians and the 8 crore citizens of Tamil Nadu. “They have not only insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who’s elected by all of us, who is the leader of the world’s biggest democracy, the mother of all democracies, but they have insulted 140 crore Indians. They have today insulted 8 crore Tamil brothers and sisters by calling the nation’s Prime Minister a terrorist,” he said.
‘Deliberate Conspiracy by Congress’: Sambit Patra
BJP Spokesperson Sambit Patra condemned Kharge’s remarks, and said these are reflective of the Congress party’s “mindset.” He alleged that the statement was part of a “deliberate conspiracy” and accused Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, of repeatedly using inappropriate language against the Prime Minister. “This is not only condemnable but also reflects the Congress party’s mindset. This is no slip of tongue. Even if he is offering any explanation, remember this is a deliberate conspiracy by the Congress party… Every day, Rahul Gandhi uses abusive language against the Prime Minister in his speeches, and today, at Rahul’s behest, Mallikarjun Kharge called the Prime Minister a terrorist.,” Patra said.
“This is the same Congress party that calls Osama bin Laden ‘Osama ji’. This is the same Congress party that is seen standing with major terrorists, yet calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi a terrorist. This is the same Congress party that calls Zakir Naik an apostle of peace… The Congress party should remember that whenever the Congress party has abused the Prime Minister, the people of India have punished it. This time too, the people of India will give a reply,” he added.
Other BJP Leaders Slam Congress
Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai criticised the Congress president for using “indecent language”. He demanded a public apology and suggested that Kharge should consider retiring from active politics. “Unfortunately, the senior politician, a leader of the Congress party, which has got a lineage of its own, choosing to use a very dirty language, choosing to bring indignity to the office of the Prime Minister and straight away calling PM Modi as a terrorist…” Annamalai told ANI.
“The minimum we are seeking is that Mallikarjun Kharge should issue a public apology and seek people’s forgiveness… After coming to Tamil Nadu, Mallikarjun Kharge has seen the ground reality. He knows INDIA alliance is in for a huge defeat. That is why, out of desperation, he is using this kind of language… Some politicians in India should retire at the earliest, and Mallikarjun Kharge, it suits him best,” he added.
Another BJP leader, Gourav Vallabh, termed the comments inappropriate and said they reflect poorly on a party that has governed the country for decades. He alleged that Kharge’s remarks were scripted and warned that voters would respond strongly in the upcoming elections. “The party which ruled for 55-60 years, look at the language of the head of that party. He is saying that the elected Prime Minister of India is a terrorist, and the entire Gandhi family is sitting quietly. I think he is speaking according to the script that Rahul Gandhi had given to Mallikarjun Kharge… The people of India are rejecting you, Mallikarjun Kharge, so will you speak ill of the elected Prime Minister of India?… Whoever is listening to this abuse, they will respond to this abuse through EVM in the coming elections,” Vallabh told ANI.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that the Congress was engaging in divisive politics and disrespecting democratic institutions. “The statement made by Mallikarjun Kharge clearly shows that Congress is not ‘mohabbat ki dukan’. They are all about ‘samvidhan ka apman’ and ‘nafrat ke bhaijaan’… Today, we are in that period where we are mourning the victims of Pahalgam. One year has passed. They are the ones who give a clean chit to terrorists, and yet the elected Prime Minister is called a terrorist… This was not a slip of the tongue. No clarification will work. This has been done at the behest of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi”, he alleged.
Congress, Allies Back Kharge
DMK MP Kanimozhi backed Kharge’s remarks about misuse of central agencies. “Yes, there are raids. They (BJP) use Income Tax, CBI, and ED against their opposition parties. This has been their style of functioning.”
Congress leader KC Venugopal also came to Kharge’s defence, accusing the BJP of amplifying the issue unnecessarily and attempting to divert attention from substantive concerns. “They (BJP) will try to make a non-issue become an issue… Prime Minister Modi is trying to terrorise people by using the ED and the CBI. That’s what Mallikarjun Kharge said. You also know all these camera tricks. They are using only that particular clip… And Kharge himself clarified that he does not call PM Modi a ‘terrorist’… then why BJP targeting him? That’s an unwanted thing,” he said. (ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)