Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday sought to clarify his recent remarks calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “terrorist,” insisting that he did not mean it in a literal sense. Speaking in Kalburgi, Kharge said his words referred to the PM’s alleged use of government agencies to “silence people” and “terrorise politicians” during elections.
Kharge explained to reporters that his comments were aimed at tax raids and investigations conducted by central agencies such as the CBI, ED, and Income Tax Department, which he claims are being used to intimidate political opponents.
“I did not call the PM a terrorist. I said he is facilitating terrorism to scare people. He is trying to silence people through raids and attempting to defeat them in elections. This is what I said in Chennai,” Kharge told ANI.
BJP moves Election Commission, demands action
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a complaint with the Election Commission, calling Kharge’s remarks “grossly derogatory” and a violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The BJP letter stated that describing the country’s Prime Minister as a “terrorist” constitutes personal vilification, undue interference with free electoral choice, and prima facie defamation under various sections of the law.
BJP leaders reacted strongly to Kharge’s clarification. National spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accused the Congress of undermining India’s constitution and fostering hatred, while Union Minister Piyush Goyal demanded apologies from Rahul Gandhi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“This unholy alliance is effectively calling Indians terrorists by targeting the Prime Minister. Such personal attacks won’t reverse their electoral fate,” Goyal said. BJP IT chief Amit Malviya and spokesperson Sambit Patra also rejected Kharge’s clarification, alleging that the remarks were deliberate and politically motivated.
What did Kharge say?
Kharge maintained that his criticism was directed at institutional misuse, not the Prime Minister personally.
Speaking alongside AICC General Secretary KC Venugopal, he said, “He is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist in the literal sense. He is misusing his power and government machinery against opposition parties.
