The BJP formally registered a complaint with Patna police on Monday, escalating a verbal clash into legal territory after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge made a remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who announced the move, called the incident a failure of basic decorum from the leadership of India's oldest political party.
Kharge made the comments on Sunday in Patna while addressing a local gathering. He was heckled by a man shouting that Modi would never leave power. Kharge retorted, “Modi Ka Baap Bhi Jayega” (Not just PM Modi, but even his father would be thrown out of power). The phrase, referring to the late Hira Lal Modi, triggered immediate outrage within the saffron party ranks.
Singh described himself as “stunned and deeply hurt” by the specific target of Kharge’s remark. He emphasized that the shock was not just about the content, but the source: the national president of the Congress. “It was not a young leader or a rank-and-file worker,” Singh said. “It was the person leading the party that claims historical seniority in Indian politics.”
The BJP has now moved beyond social media flak. By filing a police case and announcing a nationwide protest, the party is signaling that this is a disciplinary violation and a potential hate speech incident. The demand is simple and absolute: a formal apology from Kharge.
The Congress has not yet issued a formal response to the police complaint. With the election season approaching, every slip of the tongue is being amplified. The Patna police will now decide whether to register a formal FIR based on the BJP's submission.