Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday issued an apology over his alleged “illiterate” remark on people from Gujarat and some other states during an election campaign in Kerala.
The remark triggered a political backlash with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) terming them as “shameless, demeaning and utterly despicable.”
However, Kharge said his words were being “deliberately misinterpreted”.
“Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret. It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect,” the Congress leader said in a post on X.
On Sunday, Kharge while addressing a rally in Idukki district sought to make a comparison between the people of Kerala and other states ruled by the BJP, especially Gujarat, as he attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He said these two people can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or in other places, but not in the poll-bound state.
The remarks sparked a rift between Congress and BJP leaders, with leaders from the BJP demanding senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sonia Gandhi clarify whether they agreed with the statement.
{{/usCountry}}The remarks sparked a rift between Congress and BJP leaders, with leaders from the BJP demanding senior Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Sonia Gandhi clarify whether they agreed with the statement.
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