The Bharatiya Janata Party mounted a fierce offensive against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday, accusing the opposition of deliberate religious appeasement after he characterized Diwali as an "Eid of happiness."
Addressing reporters at the party's national headquarters in New Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia claimed the phrase insulted Hindu traditions during the country's marquee festival. Bhatia argued that Kharge appeared visibly reluctant to acknowledge Diwali at all, framing the comment as proof of an ingrained hostility toward Sanatan traditions.
The rhetoric turned sharply personal.
Bhatia branded Kharge a puppet leader executing the political agenda of the Gandhi family rather than acting independently. "Mallikarjun Kharge is the remote-controlled national president of Congress; battery by Sonia Gandhi, holding the finger of Rahul Gandhi," Bhatia said. "Whatever statement Mallikarjun Kharge makes, he is actually furthering the anti-Hindu, anti-Sanatana mindset of Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi in his own words." He added that Kharge looked as though he "might start crying while speaking about Diwali" before declaring that the festival would endure regardless of political rhetoric.
Kharge had extended his holiday greetings over the weekend, telling reporters that Diwali cuts across communities as a major national event before describing it as 'khushiyon ka Eid'—a festival of joy.
Congress leadership dismissed the ruling party's outrage as manufactured provocation. Congress leader Pawan Khera pushed back against the criticism, labeling detractors "semantically ignorant" and pointing out that the Arabic-origin word 'Eid' translates directly to celebration or festival. Bhatia seized on the defense to issue an open challenge, demanding to know whether Congress leaders would apply that same semantic standard in reverse by publicly calling Eid a "Diwali of happiness."
The fiery exchange signals hardening rhetoric between both national parties as festive calendar disputes spill directly into day-to-day political sparring across the capital.