Union HM Amit Shah slams Mallikarjun Kharge over his 'baap' retort on PM Modi

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday criticised Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over his remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an event in Patna, accusing the opposition party of repeatedly crossing the limits of political decency. Kharge's comment, made during the 139th birth anniversary celebration of former Bihar chief minister Dr Shri Krishna Singh, triggered a political row, with the Congress chief also targeting the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Centre's handling of black money.

In a post on X, Shah said Kharge had "torn apart all norms of decorum" by making an "indecent remark" about the Prime Minister's father. He accused the Congress of repeatedly using abusive language against Modi and his family.

"This is not the first time that the Congress party has used abusive language against Modi ji or his family. At times, they have hurled insults at his revered mother, at times called him 'merchant of death,' and at times mocked his poverty by calling him 'chaiwala.' Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the Congress party keeps crossing the limits of indecency every day," Shah wrote.

The Home Minister further said repeated electoral defeats had left the Congress frustrated and without any policy or issues to raise, adding that the party was losing public support as well as the confidence of its own workers.

"In the past 12 years, the repeated electoral defeats have bred such desperation and frustration in the Congress party that it no longer has any policy left, nor any issue; only the politics of slander remains," he said.

Shah added that voters had consistently responded to what he described as hateful comments against Modi and his family by the Congress.

What Did Kharge Say In Patna?

A commotion broke out during Kharge's address at the event in Patna on Sunday after a person in the audience reportedly said that Prime Minister Modi would not go anywhere.

Responding to the remark, Kharge said, "Modi ka baap bhi jayega."

The Congress president also accused the Prime Minister of making false promises, citing his pledge to bring back black money within the first 100 days of his government.

"PM Modi has a habit of telling lies. He had said that he would bring back black money in his first 100 days. I want to ask, where is that money?" Kharge said.

His remarks drew criticism from the BJP, with Shah accusing the Congress of allowing political discourse to sink to an unacceptable level.

Kharge Targets RSS, Questions Nitish Kumar's Political Shift

During his address, Kharge launched an attack on the RSS and its ideology, claiming that the organisation's activities had contributed to communal divisions.

"As long as the ideology of the RSS persists in this country, there will be no peace," he said.

The Congress chief argued that criticism of the RSS was rooted in what he described as its long-standing activities.

"If we speak about the RSS today, people might interpret it differently...well, the reason you are being targeted is that you have been engaged in this very same activity ever since your inception; that is why you are being targeted. Therefore, as long as the ideology of the RSS persists in this country, there will be no peace," Kharge said.

He also criticised former Bihar chief minister and JD(U) leader Nitish Kumar for joining the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), saying the move went against the socialist principles on which Kumar had built his political career.

"Even today, the RSS-BJP is rife with people who harbour notions of untouchability and hold views that run counter to the Constitution. It saddens me that Nitish Kumar, who entered the political scene carrying the ideology of the Socialist Party, has ended up in the lap of the BJP and the RSS. This is what happens when a person becomes weak and abandons their ideology," Kharge said.

Kharge Condemns Haldwani Purification Ritual

Kharge also condemned an incident in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, where members of a right-wing group allegedly carried out a shuddhikaran (purification) ritual at a venue near a temple following a Congress rally at Ramlila Ground.

Referring to the incident, which reportedly took place on August 8, 2026, Kharge questioned how social unity could be achieved if practices associated with untouchability continued decades after Independence.

"On August 8, 2026, in Haldwani, Uttarakhand, a purification ritual was performed for the stage located near a temple. 80 years after Independence, how will there be unity if untouchability prevails?" he said.

Congress leaders had criticised the ritual, alleging that it amounted to untouchability.

Kharge Questions Amit Shah's '30 Years' Remark

In a separate exchange, Kharge responded to Shah's claim that the Congress and Rahul Gandhi would not come to power for the next 30 years, questioning the basis for the prediction and accusing the Home Minister of trying to mislead the public.

"Who will even be around in 30 years? He says all this for one reason: to mislead people," Kharge said.

The Congress president also raised allegations concerning electronic voting machines (EVMs) and appointments to key positions, claiming that people loyal to Shah had been placed in influential roles.

"As long as he has these EVMs, and as long as he has his own loyalists planted in those positions, that is the basis for his claims," Kharge said.

He further alleged that even people within Shah's camp had raised concerns about possible wrongdoing.

"Even his own people have said that there is foul play," he added.

The exchange has added to the ongoing political confrontation between the Congress and the BJP, with both sides trading accusations over political conduct, electoral processes and the country's ideological direction.

(With agencies' inputs)