A political controversy erupted after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “terrorist” during a media interaction in Chennai, before later clarifying that he meant the Prime Minister was “terrorising” the opposition through central agencies.
Stepping up his attack on the BJP and the RSS, Mallikarjun Kharge questioned the alliance between the AIADMK and the BJP, arguing that a Dravidian party should not align with a political formation he claimed was opposed to the ideals of leaders like E. V. Ramasamy and C. N. Annadurai.
At the briefing, Kharge criticised the AIADMK for partnering with the BJP ahead of elections and alleged that such alliances weaken democratic values. His “terrorist” remark quickly drew sharp reactions from the BJP.
Facing questions from reporters, Kharge issued a clarification, stating that his comment was meant in the context of the alleged misuse of institutions such as the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate (ED), Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the Election Commission of India. He said these agencies were being used to “threaten” or “terrorise” opposition leaders.
“I never meant he is a terrorist; I meant he is terrorising the opposition,” Kharge said, attempting to defuse the controversy.
The Congress leader also criticised the Women’s Reservation Bill, reiterating the opposition’s claim that it is linked to delimitation and could impact democratic representation. He questioned why the Bill, passed in 2023, had not yet been implemented and challenged the government to enforce women’s reservation within the current structure of Parliament.
The BJP hit back strongly, with Union Minister Piyush Goyal demanding an apology from the Congress leadership. He termed the remark an insult to a democratically elected Prime Minister and called on senior opposition leaders to condemn the statement.
The episode adds to recent controversies surrounding Kharge’s remarks, intensifying the ongoing political exchanges between the ruling BJP and the opposition bloc.