Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge has drawn the ire of the Bharatiya Janata Party for allegedly using "objectionable" words against President Droupadi Murmu and her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind, demanding a public apology from him and his party.
Kharge had on Monday addressed an event in Chhattisgarh where he blamed the BJP for "looting the poor" and snatching people's "assets, forests, and land".
In a video of Kharge's speech, shared by the BJP, he is heard mispronouncing the names of President Murmu as "Murma ji" and her predecessor Kovind as "Covid".
"It is their habit to intimidate everyone. You will survive only when you will not be scared. If we want to protect our jal, jungle, zameen (water, forest, land) then you all have to be united in the fight against them (BJP). The BJP always speaks about making (Droupadi) Murmu ji and (Ram Nath) Kovind ji presidents of the country but did the party do all this to "snatch our assets, forests, water and land", Kharge said at the event.
Must apologise for ‘derogatory’ remarks
BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia lashed out at Kharge and said he used "objectionable words" for the President and former President.
{{/usCountry}}BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia lashed out at Kharge and said he used "objectionable words" for the President and former President.
{{/usCountry}}He said that this showed the Congress party's "anti-Dalit, anti-Adivasi and anti-Constitution" mindset, which is there in its very DNA.
"You (Kharge) talk big - you called Ram Nath Kovind ji 'covid'....You call 'Murma ji' and then called her (President Droupadi Murmu) a land mafia, alleging that she has become President to snatch away assets, forests," he charged.
Bhatia demanded that Kharge apologise for making "distasteful and derogatory" remarks against President Murmu and Kovind. He alleged that the Congress chief not only insulted the two leaders but also hurt the sentiments of the Adivasi and Dalit communities with his remarks.
The BJP leader further called for a public apology from the Congress for its national president's remarks and asked the grand old party's workers to make Kharge resign from his post.
"If the Congress and Mallikarjun Kharge do not apologise, you will see every citizen (of the country) expressing their anger. This mistake will cost Congress dearly," Bhatia said.
He called Kharge a "remote-controlled" national president of the Congress, alleging that he made the "objectionable" remarks at the behest of party MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi.
"Entire India, Adivasi society, Dalit society and women are condemning Mallikarjun Kharge and the Congress," he added.
BJP national spokesperson CR Kesavan also termed Kharge's remarks as "venomous and diabolical" attack on Murmu and Kovind.
"For the Congress party not Dalit welfare but only Dynastic welfare has always been top priority," he said in a post on X.
Stating that Congress denied Bharat Ratna to Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, Kesavan said the grand old party has a "very dubious record of deliberately denigrating and disrespecting meritorious leaders belonging to the disadvantaged & marginalised sections".
He said that even Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had "condescendingly attacked our President a poor woman while Rahul Gandhi arrogantly called the Presidential address boring".
Kesavan said that people of the nation repeatedly reject the Congress party due to its "Dalit Virodhi" mindset.