New Delhi/Patna, October 26, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party has launched nationwide protests against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over remarks he made during a public programme in Patna that the BJP says insulted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father. The party has directed its state units to organise demonstrations at headquarters across the country and has demanded an unconditional apology from Kharge.
The controversy erupted after Kharge responded to a person in the audience who shouted that Prime Minister Modi “would not go anywhere.” Kharge replied with a phrase containing the words “Modi ka baap bhi jayega,” triggering a sharp political backlash.
BJP Organises Demonstrations Across India
The BJP announced that protests would be held at its state headquarters on Monday, October 26.
Party leaders and workers were asked to participate in demonstrations condemning what the BJP described as “insulting, indecent and offensive” remarks against the Prime Minister and his family.
Controversy Began at Patna Event
Kharge was addressing an event in Patna marking the birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shri Krishna Singh, when the exchange took place.
During his speech, a person in the audience interrupted him with a remark suggesting that Modi would not be removed from office. Kharge responded immediately, leading to the controversy.
BJP Says Remark Targeted Modi’s Late Father
The BJP interpreted Kharge’s words as a personal attack on Narendra Modi’s late father.
In its statement announcing the protests, the party argued that criticism in a democracy should focus on governance and public policy rather than deceased family members of political opponents.
Amit Shah Criticises Congress
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condemned Kharge’s remark and accused the Congress of repeatedly crossing the limits of political decorum in its criticism of Prime Minister Modi.
The BJP has portrayed the incident as part of what it claims is a broader pattern of personal attacks against Modi and his family.
BJP Demands Unconditional Apology
Senior BJP leaders have demanded that Kharge issue an unconditional apology.
The party says that even sharp political disagreement does not justify bringing the family members of opponents into public attacks.
The nationwide protests are intended to increase pressure on the Congress leadership to respond formally.
Congress Disputes BJP’s Interpretation
Congress leaders have defended Kharge and argued that the remark should be understood in its conversational context rather than as a deliberate insult to Modi’s father.
According to Congress’s position reported in the media, Kharge was responding to heckling from the audience and used a colloquial expression rather than intentionally targeting the Prime Minister’s deceased parent.
Heckler Explains His Own Remark
The man whose interruption triggered the exchange later clarified what he had meant.
He said that when he shouted that “Modi won’t go anywhere,” he meant that Narendra Modi would remain in power unless there was a strong political challenge to him.
His clarification has added another layer to the political dispute over how the original exchange should be interpreted.
Police Complaint Filed Against Kharge
The controversy has also moved beyond political statements.
A police complaint has been filed against Kharge in Patna over the remark, according to reports, though filing a complaint does not itself establish criminal wrongdoing.
Any further legal action would depend on police examination of the complaint and applicable law.
Protests Planned at State Headquarters
The BJP instructed its state organisations to hold demonstrations at party headquarters across India.
The party described the protests as peaceful but firm and said workers would register their opposition to what they viewed as unacceptable political language.
Political Battle Intensifies Ahead of November Rally
The row comes at a time of already heightened confrontation between the BJP and opposition parties.
The INDIA bloc is preparing for a major rally in Delhi on November 1 over allegations concerning electoral-roll revision and the Election Commission, while the BJP has been strongly rejecting opposition accusations.
The Kharge controversy therefore adds another issue to an increasingly confrontational political environment.
BJP Frames Issue as Political Decency
BJP leaders have sought to make political decorum the central issue.
They argue that political leaders are free to criticise Modi’s policies, government and record but should avoid making remarks involving deceased relatives.
The party says the current protests are aimed at defending that principle.
Congress Says BJP Is Distorting Context
Congress, meanwhile, has accused the BJP of removing Kharge’s words from the context in which they were spoken.
Its leaders have argued that the ruling party is attempting to turn a spontaneous response to heckling into a larger controversy.
The competing interpretations have ensured that the exchange has rapidly become a national political issue.
Social Media Amplifies Controversy
Video clips of the exchange have circulated widely on social-media platforms, with political supporters interpreting the remark differently.
BJP leaders have shared the clip as evidence of disrespect toward Modi’s family, while Congress supporters have focused on the interruption that preceded Kharge’s response.
Language in Political Campaigning Under Scrutiny
The controversy has once again raised questions over increasingly personal language in Indian politics.
Senior leaders from multiple parties have faced criticism in recent years for remarks viewed by opponents as abusive, insulting or excessively personal.
The latest BJP-Congress confrontation is likely to renew calls for political debate to remain focused on policies and public issues.
Nationwide Protests Keep Row in Spotlight
With BJP units demonstrating across state capitals, the controversy is likely to dominate political discussion through the day.
The scale of participation and any formal response from Kharge or the Congress leadership will determine whether the dispute continues to escalate.
Fresh BJP-Congress Confrontation
The dispute has become another major flashpoint between India’s two largest national parties.
The BJP is demanding an apology and presenting Kharge’s remark as a violation of political decency, while Congress disputes the interpretation and says the comment has been taken out of context.
For now, nationwide protests and continuing political statements are keeping the issue firmly at the centre of the day’s political news.
Source: The Indian Express, PTI, NDTV, Hindustan Times, India Today
Supreme News Network
