'Baap' Comment Latest In M Kharge's Series Of Jibes At PM Modi

Patna/New Delhi: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday triggered a fresh political row with a remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the latest in a series of such comments that have drawn sharp attacks from the BJP over the years.The most recent episode took place during Kharge's address at an event in Patna, where a man in the crowd said Modi would "not go anywhere". Kharge replied, "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" (Even Modi's father will go). The man, pushed out of the venue, later said it was a misunderstanding, as he had said, in full, that "unless there's a public revolt, Modi will not go".READ | Storm Over M Kharge's 'Baap' Retort Against PM Modi. Then A 'Misunderstanding' TwistThe BJP nonetheless condemned the comment made by Kharge, with one leader likening him to Duryodhana, a villainous character in the Hindu epic Mahabharata.Kharge has found himself in this line of fire before.'Terrorist'Six months ago, Kharge faced the BJP's ire over a remark in Chennai when campaigning for the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.He questioned the AIADMK's alliance with the BJP, saying, "How these AIADMK people... how can they join Modi? He is a terrorist. His party won't believe in equality and justice," Kharge said.He later denied calling the Prime Minister a terrorist as such. "I said that tax terrorism is happening; the Enforcement Directorate, the Income Tax Department, and the Central Bureau of Investigation are conducting raids," he told news agency ANI.He had used this analogy in October 2024, in Kalaburagi in his home state of Karnataka. He was responding to Modi's charge that the Congress was run by a "gang of urban Naxals". "His own party is a party of terrorists; they are involved in lynching, beating people... His party is a terrorist party; they support people indulging in such acts, then they blame others," Kharge said, news agency PTI reported. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said, "Kharge's statement reflects the Congress' mentality."'Poisonous Snake'In April 2026, Kharge addressed an Assam election rally where he said a person should break off namaz to kill a poisonous snake passing in front of them. "The RSS and the BJP are that poisonous snake," Kharge said.BJP leaders made police complaints.Kharge's son, Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, defended the remark, saying it was metaphorical and referred to ideologies that spread hatred.During the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election campaign, too, Kharge said, "Don't make a mistake. Modi is like a poisonous snake."He later expressed regret: "My statement was neither for PM Modi personally nor for any other person... Our fight with PM Modi is not a personal fight."'Ravana'In Ahmedabad in 2022, Kharge targeted the BJP's practice of seeking votes in Modi's name in every election. "How many times do we have to see your face... Do you have 100 heads like Ravana?" Kharge said, referencing the Hindu epic Ramayana.PM Modi called it an "insult to Gujarat and the Gujaratis".'Hang At Vijay Chowk'In 2019, while campaigning in Karnataka, Kharge responded to Modi's claim that the Congress would not win even 40 Lok Sabha seats."If we get 40 seats, will Modi hang himself at Vijay Chowk in Delhi?" Kharge said.Yet, over the years, at social events, PM Modi and Kharge have been seen cracking jokes with each other.