New Delhi/Patna: A political row erupted on Sunday over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father, with the BJP demanding an apology and calling nationwide protests on Monday, ANI reported.

Source: ANI, via LatestLY

Kharge was addressing an event in Patna marking the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first chief minister Shri Krishna Singh when a person in the audience said Prime Minister Modi would not go anywhere. Kharge responded, 'Modi ka baap bhi jayega' — 'even Modi's father will go' — ANI reported.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in a post on X, accused Kharge of tearing apart 'all norms of decorum' by making an 'indecent remark' about Modi's father in Patna, and said that under Rahul Gandhi's leadership the Congress 'keeps crossing the limits of indecency every day' — his allegation, as reported by ANI. BJP president Nitin Nabin called the remark a sign of the Congress's 'ideological bankruptcy', while Union ministers Smriti Irani and Rajiv Ranjan Singh (Lalan Singh) also condemned it and demanded an apology, IANS reported.

Source: IANS, via Nation Press

Monday, Oct 26BJP protests called at every state headquarters
139thBirth anniversary of Shri Krishna Singh, the Patna event where the remark was made

The BJP has directed its state units to hold simultaneous, peaceful protests at party state headquarters on Monday and has demanded an unconditional apology from Kharge, IANS reported. A BJP leader has also filed a complaint against Kharge in Patna over the remark, IANS reported.

The Congress defended its president. MP Pawan Khera told ANI that by 'father' Kharge meant Modi's ideological mentor, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), and called the heckling at the event a 'despicable act' against Kharge. Senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel said the remark did not constitute an insult, describing it as a way of speaking, and recalled past remarks by the Prime Minister — the Congress's counter-claim, as reported by ANI.

Source: ANI, via LatestLY

Awaaz Punjab is reporting both sides' claims as claims: the BJP's charge that the remark insulted the Prime Minister's late father, and the Congress's position that it was aimed at the RSS. Protests are scheduled for Monday, October 26.