Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father triggered a political controversy on Sunday, with senior BJP leaders accusing him of crossing the limits of political decorum.
The exchange took place during an event in Patna marking the 139th birth anniversary of former Bihar chief minister Shri Krishna Singh. According to reports, a person in the audience remarked that Modi would not leave office. Responding to the remark, Kharge said, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.”
Union Home Minister Amit Shah condemned the statement, describing it as an “indecent remark” about the Prime Minister’s late father. Other BJP leaders also criticised Kharge, accusing the Congress of resorting to personal attacks.
During his address, Kharge questioned Modi’s promise to bring back black money and accused the Prime Minister of repeatedly making false claims.
“PM Modi has a habit of telling lies. He had said that he would bring back black money in his first 100 days. I want to ask, where is that money?” Kharge said.
Kharge also criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), accusing it of contributing to communal tensions and arguing that its ideology was incompatible with peace and social harmony.
“As long as the ideology of the RSS persists in this country, there will be no peace,” he said.
He further accused the BJP and RSS of harbouring views contrary to constitutional principles, particularly on untouchability.
Referring to a reported purification ritual conducted in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, after a Congress rally on August 8, Kharge questioned how national unity could be achieved while practices associated with untouchability persisted decades after Independence.
He also criticised Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, saying the move represented a departure from the socialist ideology associated with his political beginnings.
“It saddens me that Nitish Kumar, who entered the political scene carrying the ideology of the Socialist Party, has ended up in the lap of the BJP and the RSS,” Kharge said.
Shah accused the Congress president of crossing all limits of propriety with his remark about Modi’s late father. He also cited previous controversial remarks about the Prime Minister and his family, alleging that the Congress had increasingly resorted to personal attacks amid repeated electoral defeats.
BJP leader Nitin Nabin described Kharge’s statement as “indecent and unparliamentary”, arguing that political disagreements should not extend to deceased family members.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also criticised the remark, accusing the Congress of expressing its opposition to Modi through personal insults. He said such comments would not help the party win public support.
Congress leader Husain Dalwai defended the broader substance of Kharge’s criticism, citing concerns about the government’s record over the past 12 to 13 years.
Speaking in Mumbai, Dalwai accused the government of making mistakes in governance and foreign policy and said the Congress would seek accountability if it returned to power in 2029.
“What he is saying is right, and I say the same,” Dalwai said.
The remarks have triggered a fresh confrontation between the BJP and Congress, with the BJP focusing on Kharge’s comment about Modi’s late father and the Congress leader defending his wider criticism of the government.