BJP announces nationwide protests against Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark about PM Modi; Here’s what happened
Babushahi Bureau
New Delhi, October 26, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests in several parts of the country on Monday after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father at a public event in Patna triggered a political controversy. The BJP demanded an apology from Kharge and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, while senior BJP leaders, including Union ministers Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh, criticised the Congress president.
The controversy erupted on Sunday, October 25, during a programme marking the 139th birth anniversary of Shri Krishna Singh, Bihar’s first Chief Minister, at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna.
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say in Patna?
Kharge was criticising the BJP-led government and raising allegations of irregularities in the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls when an audience member reportedly interrupted him, insisting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not leave office.
Kharge responded, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.” The remark, which referred to Modi’s late father, prompted a sharp reaction from the BJP.
The Congress offered a different account of the exchange. Party leader Pawan Khera alleged that a remark insulting Kharge’s late father had preceded the Congress president’s response. Khera said Kharge was referring to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which the Congress regards as Modi’s ideological parent organisation.
Why did the BJP announce nationwide protests?
The BJP called for demonstrations at party headquarters across the country, demanding an apology from Kharge and Rahul Gandhi. The party argued that political disagreements should not extend to remarks about the family members of political opponents.
In Patna, Bihar BJP president Sanjay Saraogi led a march from the party headquarters towards Income Tax Golambar. Protesters raised slogans against Kharge and burnt an effigy of the Congress president.
Demonstrations were also reported in Delhi, Bengaluru, Lucknow and Jammu. In Delhi, police stopped protesters attempting to march towards Kharge’s residence. In Bengaluru, police detained some demonstrators.
The BJP maintained that Kharge’s remark was inappropriate, while the Congress defended its president and argued that the context of the exchange had been overlooked.
What did Amit Shah and Rajnath Singh say?
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised Kharge, accusing the Congress of crossing the limits of political propriety in its attacks on Prime Minister Modi and his family.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also condemned the remark, saying it had hurt the sentiments of many people. He questioned the Congress’s defence of the statement and called for greater responsibility in political discourse.
Union Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, popularly known as Lalan Singh, and Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav also criticised Kharge, according to media reports.
The BJP leadership used the controversy to question the Congress’s standards of political conduct and pressed its senior leaders to apologise.
Police complaint filed against Kharge
The controversy also led to a police complaint. A BJP worker, Krishna Kumar Singh, filed a complaint against Kharge at Patna’s Kotwali police station on Sunday evening over the remark.
Media reports said the complaint was to be transferred to Gandhi Maidan police station, which has jurisdiction over the venue where the incident occurred. The filing of a complaint does not establish that an offence has been committed.
The argument arose during Kharge’s criticism of the BJP-led government and the Election Commission’s SIR exercise. The Congress has raised concerns about alleged irregularities in the revision of electoral rolls, while the BJP has rejected its criticism.
The incident has shifted political attention from the debate over electoral-roll revision to the language used by political leaders. While the BJP is demanding an apology, the Congress is defending Kharge and pointing to the reported remark that preceded his response.