At 7 pm on Sunday, Mallikarjun Kharge, the national president of the opposition Congress, fired off the phrase "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" during a rally celebrating Bihar’s first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh’s 139th birth anniversary. The comment erupted after an audience member quipped that the prime minister would never leave his post, prompting Kharge to retort in a tone that many saw as harsh.
BJP president Nitin Nabin took to X the following day to denounce the remark, branding it "undignified and offensive" and warning that the Congress’s legacy of insulting the prime minister would not go unanswered. "The Congress has consistently attacked PM Modi and his family, using derogatory language born of frustration and despair," Nabin said to reporters. He added that such language was a hallmark of the party’s mental bankruptcy.
Congress leaders offered a mix of defense and damage control. Pawan Khera alleged a BJP worker had insulted Kharge’s late father during the Patna event, while All India Mahila Congress head Alka Lamba insisted the party had never targeted Modi’s parents. Veteran MP Shashi Tharoor, meanwhile, urged calm, asserting Kharge was merely using a common expression and had not personally insulted anyone’s father.
BJP activists staged protests across several state capitals, demanding a formal apology from the Congress. The demonstrations featured banners calling for “justice for the Indian Republic” and a pledge that the electorate would punish the opposition for its offensive rhetoric.
The Congress party has yet to issue an official response, but party insiders say it is preparing a statement that will contest the BJP’s allegations while hinting at potential legal action. Meanwhile, the BJP has promised to keep the pressure on until the Congress delivers a public apology.