A major political controversy erupted on Tuesday after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reportedly referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “terrorist” while criticising the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP ahead of the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. The remark quickly triggered a sharp backlash from the ruling party, prompting Kharge to later issue a clarification, saying his comments were meant in a different context.
During a press conference in Chennai, Kharge questioned AIADMK’s decision to join hands with the BJP and made the controversial remark while speaking about the nature of the alliance. As quoted by news agency IANS, he said, “How can they (AIADMK) join with Modi? He is a terrorist. And he who won’t believe in equality. His party won’t believe in equality and justice. And these people are joining with them, it means that they are weakening democracy.”
The statement immediately sparked political outrage, with BJP leaders accusing Kharge of lowering the level of political discourse and targeting the Prime Minister with inflammatory language.
Facing criticism, Kharge later clarified his remarks, insisting that he did not literally label PM Modi as a terrorist. He said his comments referred to what he described as the ruling party’s alleged misuse of investigative agencies.
Kharge explained that his intent was to highlight what he called political pressure tactics. “…because the BJP government is terrorising political parties and, particularly, candidates. They are using institutions like the CBI, ED, and the Income Tax Department, and are misusing them,” he said.
He further added that fear was being created among opposition parties through the use of central agencies. “They are creating fear among people so that they think the government is powerful enough to target even opposition parties. In that context, I spoke. I never said that he is a terrorist. I said that he and his government are terrorising people by using these institutions. That is what I meant,” Kharge clarified.
However, the clarification did little to calm the political storm. BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya strongly condemned the statement, accusing the Congress leadership of repeatedly using abusive language against the Prime Minister.
Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Malviya said, “In yet another crass display, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge calls Prime Minister Narendra Modi a ‘terrorist,’ questioning how AIADMK can align with him.”
He further alleged that such remarks reflect a pattern in Congress politics. “This isn’t the first time Kharge has dragged public discourse to such lows. But with this remark, he hasn’t just diminished himself, he has exposed what is a stated approach of the Congress: abuse and vilification of India’s most popular leader instead of meaningful debate,” Malviya added.
Concluding his statement, he said, “When politics is reduced to name-calling, it reflects not strength, but a deep frustration and lack of credible alternatives.”
1. What did Mallikarjun Kharge say about PM Narendra Modi?
Mallikarjun Kharge allegedly referred to PM Narendra Modi as a “terrorist” while criticising AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
2. Why did Kharge’s statement cause controversy?
His remark triggered backlash from the BJP, which accused him of using abusive language against the Prime Minister and damaging political discourse.
3. Did Mallikarjun Kharge clarify his statement?
Yes. Kharge later clarified that he did not literally call PM Modi a terrorist but was referring to alleged misuse of central agencies like CBI, ED, and Income Tax Department.
4. What was Kharge’s explanation for his comment?
He said his statement was meant to highlight what he described as political intimidation and misuse of investigative agencies to create fear among opposition parties.
5. How did BJP react to Kharge’s remarks?
BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya strongly criticised Kharge, accusing the Congress of repeatedly using abusive language and lacking meaningful political arguments.
