Patna: A sharp political confrontation erupted between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress on Sunday after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi triggered widespread condemnation from BJP leaders and a strong counterattack from the opposition party.
The BJP accused Kharge of crossing the limits of political decorum by referring to the Prime Minister’s late father and demanded an apology. Several senior leaders, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and BJP president Nitin Nabin, criticised the Congress chief. The party also announced plans to burn an effigy of Kharge at Income Tax Circle in Patna on Monday.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, defended Kharge’s response as a reaction to an interruption during his speech. They accused the BJP of applying different standards to political rhetoric, citing previous personal remarks allegedly made by BJP leaders against opposition figures.
The controversy began at an event in Patna marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh. Kharge was speaking about alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls when a person in the audience interrupted him, saying that Modi would not leave office unless there was a rebellion.
Kharge responded with the Hindi remark, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”, which can be translated as “Even Modi’s father will go”. The comment prompted a series of statements from BJP leaders, while Kharge subsequently raised allegations of caste-based discrimination involving the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Amit Shah accuses Congress of abandoning political decorum
Union Home Minister Amit Shah accused Kharge of violating established standards of political conduct by referring to the Prime Minister’s late father.
Shah alleged that the Congress had repeatedly used objectionable language against Modi and members of his family. He cited previous controversies involving remarks about Modi’s mother, the “merchant of death” jibe and references to the Prime Minister’s background as a “chaiwala”.
Blaming Rahul Gandhi’s leadership for what he described as a deterioration in the Congress’s political discourse, Shah alleged that repeated electoral defeats had left the party without substantive policies or issues to raise.
According to Shah, the Congress was increasingly relying on personal attacks against Modi and his family rather than presenting an alternative political agenda. He also argued that voters had repeatedly rejected such rhetoric through elections.
The BJP has maintained that political opponents can criticise government decisions and policies but should not bring deceased family members into political disputes.
Nitin Nabin calls the remarks ideological bankruptcy
BJP president Nitin Nabin described Kharge’s comment as evidence of what he called the Congress’s “ideological bankruptcy”.
Nabin said political differences were natural in a democracy but argued that leaders must maintain dignity while addressing opponents. He criticised the reference to the Prime Minister’s late father, describing it as a departure from acceptable political conduct.
The BJP also targeted the Congress through a post on X, accusing the party of adopting language associated with “thugs and hooligans” and comparing its functioning to that of a “mafia gang”.
Nabin argued that the opposition was resorting to personal attacks because it lacked substantive arguments on development, government policies and public welfare schemes. He said voters would respond to such conduct through democratic means.
The BJP has demanded that Kharge apologise for the remark, with several party leaders repeating the demand in their public statements.
Rajnath Singh, JP Nadda and Yogi Adityanath condemn Kharge
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said he was shocked and hurt by Kharge’s remarks about Modi’s late father.
Singh accused the Congress of allowing political discourse to deteriorate into personal insults. He also referred to previous controversies involving remarks about the Prime Minister’s family and humble background.
He said political opponents had every right to question the government’s performance but should not cross personal boundaries. Singh described the episode as damaging to the dignity of Indian politics and alleged that the Congress had become politically, ideologically and morally bankrupt.
Union minister JP Nadda also condemned Kharge’s statement, accusing the Congress of expressing political frustration through disparaging comments about Modi and his family.
Nadda argued that public trust could not be won through what he described as a politics of hatred and humiliation. He alleged that the Congress’s language reflected its frustration over Modi’s popularity.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath described the remark as unforgivable and demanded an apology from Kharge and the Congress. He said the comment had hurt public sentiment and brought shame to democratic discourse.
Adityanath also accused the Congress of becoming associated with abusive political language and called for action against the party president.
Smriti Irani, Fadnavis and other BJP leaders join attack
BJP leader Smriti Z Irani described Kharge’s remarks as a sign of the Congress’s political frustration. In a post on X, she argued that personal insults against political opponents and their families reflected a lack of values rather than political courage.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused the Congress of contradicting its “mohabbat ki dukaan” slogan through what he called hateful language. He predicted further electoral setbacks for the party, arguing that its own rhetoric would contribute to its difficulties.
Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said ideological differences were an essential part of democracy but stressed that leaders must maintain dignity in their language and conduct. He demanded an apology from Kharge.
West Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari also criticised the Congress president, attributing the remarks to frustration over electoral defeats and declining public support.
BJP MP Tejasvi Surya said Modi’s late father had no role in politics and should not have been brought into the dispute. He accused the Congress of resorting to personal attacks instead of challenging the Prime Minister’s record in office.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that Kharge had made the remark at Rahul Gandhi’s behest and linked it to the Congress’s electoral setbacks. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad described the comments as “shameful, undignified and petty” and demanded an apology from Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.
The series of statements underscored the scale of the political backlash within the BJP, with several leaders framing the issue as a question of respect for public office and political standards.
Kharge raises RSS-BJP ‘purification’ allegations
Kharge responded to the BJP’s criticism by bringing up a separate controversy involving an alleged purification ritual conducted by BJP and RSS members following a Congress public meeting on August 8, 2026.
In a post on X, Kharge claimed that BJP leader JP Nadda had expressed regret in Parliament over the incident but that no action had followed. He also alleged that an FIR had instead been registered against Rahul Gandhi.
Kharge accused Modi of speaking about the Constitution while protecting people who, he alleged, practised untouchability. He appealed to people in Bihar to work towards eliminating caste-based discrimination, arguing that equality was essential for peace and progress.
The allegations concerning the purification ritual and the subsequent handling of the matter remain separate from the immediate dispute over Kharge’s language. They have, however, become part of the wider political exchange between the two parties.
The Congress has repeatedly accused the BJP and RSS of engaging in caste-based discrimination, while the BJP has focused on the Congress president’s remarks about Modi’s late father.
Bhupesh Baghel defends Kharge’s response
Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel defended Kharge, questioning why the remark was being treated as abusive.
Baghel said Kharge had been interrupted while delivering his speech and argued that the response should be understood in that context. He described the words as a way of responding to someone who was shouting during the address rather than as an insult directed at the Prime Minister’s family.
Baghel also accused Modi of using personal and insulting language against political opponents. He cited past controversies involving references to a “50-crore girlfriend”, Jersey cows and the mangalsutra.
The Congress leader questioned why BJP leaders had not expressed similar outrage over such remarks, arguing that standards of political language should apply equally to the ruling party and the opposition.
His defence reflects the Congress’s broader argument that the BJP is selectively objecting to political rhetoric while overlooking statements made by its own leaders.
Pawan Khera alleges repeated disrespect towards Kharge
Congress leader Pawan Khera also defended the party president, alleging that Kharge had been disrespected on two occasions by the BJP and RSS.
Khera referred to the alleged purification ritual following a Congress meeting and the interruption during Kharge’s speech in Patna.
He claimed that a BJP worker had rudely interrupted the Congress president by insisting that Modi would not leave office. Khera argued that Kharge’s response was directed towards the Sangh and its ideological leadership, including RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, rather than being intended as an insult to Modi’s family.
Khera also accused Modi and Shah of being responsible for the repeated targeting of the Congress president. He said the public was observing the political exchange and would judge the conduct of both sides.
The Congress’s interpretation of the remark differs sharply from the BJP’s position, which maintains that the reference to Modi’s late father was unacceptable regardless of the circumstances in which it was made.
Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleges double standards
Congress MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that political rhetoric should not be judged selectively.
Referring to previous controversies involving expressions such as “50 crore ki girlfriend”, “Jersey gaai” and “Surpanakha”, Singhvi said those who had normalised personal jibes against political opponents could not suddenly claim moral outrage over similar language.
He argued that the same standards should apply to political leaders across parties and that selective indignation would not improve public discourse.
The Congress’s response has therefore centred on two arguments: that Kharge was reacting to an interruption and that the BJP was applying a different standard to remarks made by its own leaders and those of the opposition.
Political row intensifies ahead of BJP protest
The controversy has developed into a broader dispute over the boundaries of political criticism, personal attacks and the standards expected of senior public representatives.
For the BJP, Kharge’s remark crossed a line by bringing the Prime Minister’s late father into a political argument. Its leaders have demanded an apology and announced a protest in Patna.
The Congress, meanwhile, has defended the context of the response and accused the BJP of selective outrage. Kharge has also used the controversy to revive allegations of caste-based discrimination involving the BJP and RSS.
The exchange highlights the increasingly confrontational nature of political rhetoric, in which statements made at public events quickly become the focus of national-level party campaigns.
Whether Kharge issues an apology or the confrontation escalates further remains to be seen. For now, the BJP and Congress remain sharply divided over the remark, with both sides accusing the other of lowering the standards of political discourse.