The BJP has accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of insulting President Droupadi Murmu by misspelling her name and making controversial remarks against her during a public speech.
BJP Chhattisgarh shared a video on its official X handle showing Kharge speaking at a public event. In the video, he is heard saying:
“You made Murma ji the President of India, you made Kovind the President of India. You have the right to do so. But why were they appointed as Presidents? To seize our property? To grab our forest lands? To stop our water flow? They are doing these things to snatch away our lands.”
The BJP has objected to the mispronunciation of the President’s name and condemned Kharge for making what it describes as “serious allegations” against both President Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind.
In a message posted alongside the video clip, BJP Chhattisgarh wrote in Hindi, “Why so much envy towards Murmu ji and Kovind ji? Such serious allegations against the country’s two Dalit Presidents on a public platform… Absolutely shameful!”
Urging the Congress to introspect, the BJP concluded the post with the hashtag: #LookInTheMirror_Congress.
At a press conference in Delhi, BJP National Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, said, “The objectionable words used by Mallikarjun Kharge for President Droupadi Purmu show the anti-tribal mindset of the Congress party. They have disrespected former President Ram Nath Kovind also…Everyone is condemning Mallikarjun Kharge and the Congress party…You (Congress) addressed the President as ‘Murma ji’, without any respect and then called her a land mafia in the end…The whole country knows, if there is anyone who is land mafia, it is the fake Gandhi family.”
The BJP pointed out that both President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind belong to the Dalit community, and stated that any insult to them is an insult to the entire community.
“…The comment made by Kharge ji (Mallikarjun Kharge) calling President Droupadi Murmu as Murma Ji, Kovind ji as Kovid ji, then saying that they are land grabbers, reflects the deep-seated hatred Congress has for the SC and ST community. And time and again, they have shown this kind of behaviour,” said BJP National Spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.
Further accusing Congress of insulting the top office of the country, Poonawalla said, “This is the kind of tradition Congress has shown towards constitutional positions. They have spared neither the Chief Justice of India, nor the Prime Minister, nor the President…It shows that the first family only wants to insult the SC and ST communities.”
While a war of words is common between political opponents, it is not yet clear whether Kharge intended to insult President Murmu or if it was genuinely a slip of the tongue. He has not yet issued a public apology for the mispronunciation.