Kharge’s ‘Terrorist’ Remark Sparks Political Firestorm, BJP Seeks Apology And EC Action

A single remark has snowballed into a major political controversy , putting the Congress and BJP on a direct collision course. The row began when Mallikarjun Kharge , during a press conference in Chennai, accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “terrorising” political opponents, but in the flow of his speech, referred to him as a “terrorist.” The comment came while criticising the AIADMK-BJP alliance , adding a political context to the remark.

Though Kharge later clarified that he meant “terrorising democratic institutions” and misuse of central agencies , not the literal term, the statement triggered sharp and immediate backlash from the BJP , quickly turning into a full-blown political storm.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah led the attack, saying Kharge had “breached every standard of public conduct” and brought shame to the nation. He stressed that targeting an elected Prime Minister in such language insults the mandate of millions and lowers the dignity of political debate.

Union Minister G Kishan Reddy questioned whether this “hatred-filled criticism” was being directed by the Congress leadership, indirectly pointing towards Rahul Gandhi . He demanded an unconditional apology , calling the remark deliberate and harmful to democratic values.

Union MoS Bandi Sanjay Kumar described it as a “frustrated and defeated mindset,” accusing the Congress of losing balance. He also invoked past flashpoints like the 2016 surgical strikes and 2019 Balakot airstrikes , alleging the opposition had questioned the armed forces and echoed “enemy narratives.”

The BJP has further escalated the issue to the Election Commission of India , alleging a prima facie violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) . A delegation including Nirmala Sitharaman , Kiren Rijiju , and Arjun Ram Meghwal is set to seek penal action, campaign restrictions, and removal of the remark from media platforms.

What began as a political attack has now evolved into an institutional and national-level confrontation, once again exposing how political rhetoric is turning increasingly personal and aggressive, raising concerns over the quality of democratic discourse ahead of crucial electoral battles.