Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge has responded sharply to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s comments alleging that the Congress party is being controlled by ‘Urban Naxals’. Addressing the media in Kalaburagi, Karnataka, Kharge criticised the Prime Minister, stating, “Progressive people are being called Urban Naxals… this is his habit.” He further accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of fostering violence, adding, “His party itself is a terrorist party. They do lynching, hit people, urinate in the mouths of people from scheduled castes, rape tribal people… they also support those people who do all these.”

According to news agency ANI, Kharge also challenged Modi’s moral authority, asserting, “(PM) Modi has no right to say this. Wherever his government is in power, atrocities are committed on people of scheduled castes, especially tribals.” He emphasised that the Prime Minister should address these issues, remarking, “Then he keeps talking about atrocities… it is your government, you can control it.”

#WATCH | On PM Modi’s remark that Congress has been taken over by Urban Naxals, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge says, ” Progressive people are being called Urban Naxals…this is his habit. His party itself is a terrorist party. They do lynching, hit people, urinate in the… pic.twitter.com/hACBNLE6T8

— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2024

As recently as on October 5, PM Modi reiterated his ‘urban naxal’ remark against the Congress during a rally in Washim district of Maharashtra. Modi accused Congress of being led by a “gang of urban Naxals” and urged people to come together against the party’s “dangerous agenda.” He stated, “They (Congress) think that if we all unite, then their agenda to divide the country will fail,” while addressing the gathering after launching various projects.

Kharge’s Response To RSS Over ‘Divisive Forces’

Kharge’s remarks also addressed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s Vijayadashami speech in Nagpur earlier in the day. In his speech, Bhagwat warned against efforts to create divisions in society and undermine faith in the government. He highlighted that such actions could benefit external forces, saying, “Today’s war is not like what we used to have earlier. In such conditions, they knowingly and unknowingly get friends within the country as we are a democratic country… They run these things through alternate politics, taking sides of one without being there on the ground.”

Responding to Bhagwat’s statements, Kharge accused the RSS of supporting divisive forces. “You (Bhagwat) are the one who supports the party which wants disunity in the country. It starts with changing the Constitution, ending the reservation, and then speaking different things about Muslims,” he asserted.

#WATCH | On RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s statement, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge says, ” …You (Bhagwat) are the one who supports the party which wants disunity in the country. It starts with changing the Constitution, ending the reservation and then speaking different things… https://t.co/r7RdEqWJOB pic.twitter.com/l3w8u9Xw9l

— ANI (@ANI) October 12, 2024

Kharge also addressed the Congress’s recent loss in Haryana, mentioning that a meeting was being held to assess the situation. “Whatever happened in Haryana, we are holding a meeting regarding that incident. Once the report comes, it will be clear what needs to be done and how it happened,” he said, as quoted by ANI. Reflecting on the unexpected loss, he noted, “The whole country and even BJP were saying that Congress would win, but what are those factors which made Congress lose?… During victory, there would be a lot of people who may take credit, and during loss, there would be so many people who would criticise.”