Mallikarjun Kharge's retort at a Patna event drew a sharp BJP backlash. Party leaders said it insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's family and demanded an apology.
Kharge said the government must answer questions on the action taken against students and apologise for the use of force. (Photo: PTI)
The BJP and Congress traded sharp attacks on Sunday after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “Modi ka baap...” remark against Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggered a political row, with the BJP accusing the opposition of abandoning political decorum and Congress leaders defending Kharge’s response while countering the ruling party over its own history of personal attacks.
The controversy erupted at an event in Patna marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh. Kharge was speaking about alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and said the Congress would send those responsible to jail. When a person in the audience interrupted him, saying that Modi would not go anywhere as long as there was no rebellion, Kharge retorted, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Let alone Modi, even his father would go).
The BJP has opened a front against Kharge over the remarks, with several senior leaders condemning the comment and demanding an apology. The party will also burn an effigy of the Congress president on Monday morning at the Income Tax Circle in Patna as its protests against the remarks escalate.
AMIT SHAH
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Kharge of tearing apart all norms of political decorum with his remark about Modi’s late father. He alleged that the Congress had repeatedly used abusive language against the Prime Minister and his family, citing previous remarks about Modi’s mother, the “merchant of death” jibe and references to his humble background as a “chaiwala”.
Shah blamed Rahul Gandhi’s leadership for what he described as the Congress’s increasingly indecorous political conduct, alleging that repeated electoral defeats had left the party without substantive policies or issues and dependent on personal attacks. He added that voters had repeatedly punished the Congress for remarks targeting Modi and his family.
NITIN NABIN
BJP president Nitin Nabin described Kharge’s remarks as evidence of the Congress’s “ideological bankruptcy”, saying political opposition must retain dignity and that dragging deceased family members into public speeches reflected a lack of decorum.
“The language that was once associated with thugs and hooligans is now being used by the Congress President himself,” the BJP said in a post on X, likening the party’s functioning to that of a “mafia gang”.
Nabin said the opposition resorted to personal attacks when it had no substantive issues to raise on development, government policies or public welfare schemes, adding that people would respond to such politics through democratic means.
RAJNATH SINGH
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was shocked and hurt by Kharge’s remarks about the Prime Minister’s late father, accusing the Congress of allowing its political discourse to deteriorate to the level of personal insults.
Singh said Congress leaders and workers had previously mocked Modi’s humble family background and used objectionable language against his mother, alleging that such politics had now reached the party’s top leadership. He said political opponents were free to question government policies and criticise the administration but should not violate personal boundaries.
Singh described the remarks as an attack on the dignity of Indian politics and said the Congress had become politically, ideologically and morally bankrupt. He added that the public would respond to what he called an insult to the Prime Minister’s family and the sentiments of millions of Indians.
JP NADDA
Union minister JP Nadda condemned Kharge’s remarks, saying the comment about the Prime Minister’s late father deserved the strongest possible condemnation. He accused the Congress of venting its political frustration through disparaging comments against Modi and his family.
Nadda said the opposition’s alleged panic over Modi’s popularity and the public’s trust in him was evident in its language and conduct. “The Congress must realise that the trust of the people cannot be won through a politics of hatred and humiliation,” he said.
YOGI ADITYANATH
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described Kharge’s remarks as unforgivable and strongly condemnable, accusing the Congress of becoming synonymous with abusive language in Indian politics.
Adityanath said the comment about Modi’s late father insulted the sentiments of 145 crore Indians and brought shame to Indian democracy. He attributed the remarks to the Congress’s frustration, disappointment and ideological bankruptcy, and demanded strict action against Kharge along with an apology from the party to the entire country.
SMRITI Z IRANI
BJP leader Smriti Z Irani described Kharge’s remarks as evidence of the Congress’s frustration and political bankruptcy. In a post in Hindi on X, she alleged that the party had increasingly resorted to personal insults because it lacked the ability to debate policies and had lost public confidence.
Irani said making derogatory remarks about a political opponent’s family was neither courage nor politics, but exposed a lack of values and ideological substance. She added that people knew how to respond democratically to arrogance and undignified conduct.
DEVENDRA FADNAVIS
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the Congress of spreading hatred despite its “mohabbat ki dukaan” slogan.
In a post on X, Fadnavis said Kharge’s remarks had exposed what he described as the Congress’s internal thinking. He predicted further electoral defeats for the party, arguing that while Modi’s popularity would remain a factor, the Congress’s own “hateful words” would also contribute to its losses.
JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia condemned Kharge’s remarks, accusing the Congress of undermining political decorum out of arrogance and frustration.
Scindia said ideological differences were an integral part of democracy but stressed that leaders must maintain dignity in their language and conduct. He demanded an immediate apology from Kharge to the people of the country.
SUVENDU ADHIKARI
West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said Kharge’s remarks about the Prime Minister’s late father reflected the Congress’s declining standards of political discourse.
Adhikari attributed the comments to frustration over repeated electoral defeats and diminishing public support, alleging that the Congress had moved away from policies and substantive issues to abusive language and provocative statements. He said voters had repeatedly rejected such politics and would continue to respond through democratic means.
TEJASVI SURYA
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya accused the Congress of resorting to personal attacks because it could not challenge Modi’s record in office.
Surya described Kharge’s remarks as shameful, saying the Prime Minister’s late father had nothing to do with politics and should not have been dragged into a political dispute. He said political rivalry should never come at the expense of basic values of respect and decency, adding that the remarks reflected the Congress’s political culture.
SAMBIT PATRA
BJP MP and spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that Kharge had made the remarks at the behest of Rahul Gandhi, claiming that the Congress was frustrated by its inability to dislodge the government despite repeated attempts.
Patra said the Congress’s frustration over its electoral setbacks was reflected in Kharge’s language and conduct.
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD
BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad described Kharge’s comments as “shameful, undignified and petty” and demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
Prasad said the public was watching the political exchange and would respond through democratic means, citing recent bypolls and municipal elections as evidence of the Congress’s electoral difficulties.
BHUPESH BAGHEL
Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel defended Kharge, questioning what was abusive about his remark and arguing that it was a response to an audience member interrupting his speech.
“What is so abusive about that? Someone was shouting while the speech was being delivered,” Baghel said, describing Kharge’s words as a way of speaking rather than an insult.
Baghel accused Modi of repeatedly using insulting language against political opponents, citing past remarks about a “50-crore girlfriend”, Jersey cows and the mangalsutra. He questioned why BJP leaders remained silent when the Prime Minister used such language, arguing that political rhetoric should be judged by the same standards.
PAWAN KHERA
Congress MP Pawan Khera alleged that Kharge had been disrespected twice by the BJP and the RSS, referring to an earlier alleged purification ritual after a Congress meeting in Uttarakhand and the interruption during Sunday’s event in Patna.
Khera said a BJP worker had rudely interrupted Kharge with a remark insisting that Modi would not leave office. He argued that Kharge’s response referred to the Sangh and its ideological leadership, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, rather than being an insult directed at Modi’s family.
Accusing Modi and Shah of being behind the repeated targeting of the Congress president, Khera said the country was watching and would not forgive such conduct.
ABHISHEK MANU SINGHVI
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that political rhetoric should not be judged selectively, saying those who had normalised personal jibes against political opponents could not suddenly claim moral outrage.
Referring to remarks such as “50 crore ki girlfriend”, “Jersey gaai” and “Surpnakha”, Singhvi said the same standards must apply to everyone and that selective indignation was no defence of public discourse.
KHARGE RAISES RSS-BJP ‘PURIFICATION’ ROW
Separately, Kharge raised the issue of an alleged purification ritual conducted by the RSS and BJP after a Congress public meeting on August 8, 2026. In a post on X, he claimed that BJP leader JP Nadda had expressed regret in Parliament over the incident but no action had followed, while an FIR had instead been registered against Rahul Gandhi.
Kharge accused PM Modi of speaking about the Constitution while protecting those who practised untouchability, and appealed to people in Bihar to work towards eliminating the practice, saying it was essential for peace and progress.
- Ends