In Patna on Sunday, a man in the crowd declared that Modi would not go anywhere. Kharge, never one to back down, shot back that even Modi's father would leave. The exchange sparked a flurry of social media backlash and a flurry of complaints. The crowd had misinterpreted his words as a threat, later saying it was a misunderstanding.
BJP leaders slammed the comment as a personal attack, with one spokesperson comparing Kharge to the villainous Duryodhana. The party filed a formal complaint with the police, demanding a formal apology. The incident adds to a pattern of heated exchanges between the two parties.
Kharge has a history of inflammatory remarks, calling Modi a terrorist and likening the BJP to a poisonous snake in earlier rallies. In December 2024, he criticized the AIADMK-BJP alliance, labeling the former as terrorists, though he later denied calling Modi a terrorist. His son, Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge, defended his father's remarks as metaphorical.
The police are investigating the complaint, and the BJP is pressing for a statement from the Congress. Meanwhile, opposition voices are calling for a parliamentary debate on the incident.