At a rally in Patna on August 12, 2024, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge told an audience that the Prime Minister’s father would also depart, sparking a flurry of condemnation across the nation.
The phrase “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” is a colloquial expression in the local Magahi dialect, used to mean “Even someone stronger than you will fall.”
Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, a senior Congress leader, rushed to the floor and argued that Kharge’s statement was metaphorical, citing local slang. He said, “The government always looks for a small flaw; this was a figure of speech, not a literal call.”
Opposition parties slammed the remark as disrespectful. The BJP tweeted that the comment was “borderline insulting,” while the opposition’s spokesperson, Sunil Kumar, called it “unacceptable political theatre.”
The Congress Working Committee is slated to convene on August 18 to decide whether to issue a reprimand or a formal apology.
A local shopkeeper in Patna, Ramesh Kumar, said he felt insulted but understood the joke, hoping the controversy would subside before the next general election.