PATNA/NEW DELHI: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday sparked a controversy with his remarks "Modi ka baap bhi jayega", in response to an audience member's comment that "the PM would not go anywhere", during an event in Bihar.
Responding to Kharge's statement that the Congress will send those involved in carrying out alleged irregularities in the SIR process to jail, a person from the audience shouted, "As long as there is no rebellion, (PM Narendra) Modi won't go anywhere." The Congress president shot back, saying, "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" (Let alone Modi, even his father would go).
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BJP and its allies condemned Kharge's remarks and rejected his allegations of electoral malpractice in Bihar. BJP leader Nitin Nabin in a post on X said, "The kind of indecent and unparliamentary language used today in Patna by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge towards the country's PM Narendra Modiji reflects the Congress party's ideological bankruptcy." He said Kharge's statement was not merely a personal remark but, in his view, reflected the Congress party's lack of decorum in its thinking.
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Meanwhile, Congress defended Kharge's comments. Congress MP Pawan Khera said that Kharge was referring to the PM's ideological mentor, the RSS. "This is the second time that individuals from the Sangh and BJP have behaved disrespectfully toward Khargeji. Previously, they engaged in a despicable act, a so-called purification ritual in Uttarakhand. Today, in Bihar, while Khargeji was delivering a speech, a BJP worker rudely said that Modi will not go anywhere; even if your own father were to come, he still wouldn't leave. Such absurd and offensive language was used against a veteran, senior leader. "In response, Khargeji retorted that Modi will indeed go and so will his father, referring to his ideological mentor, the Sangh, and Mohan Bhagwat."