Mallikarjun Kharge Row Triggers Nationwide BJP Protests After Patna Remarks on PM Modi

A political controversy involving Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has escalated after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced nationwide protests over his remarks during a public event in Patna, Bihar, on October 25, 2026.

The BJP described Kharge’s comments concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father as “insulting, indecent and offensive” and announced demonstrations at party headquarters across the country on October 26. The controversy has intensified the political confrontation between the BJP and Congress.

How the Controversy Began in Patna

Kharge was addressing a gathering at Bapu Sabhagar to mark the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first Chief Minister, Shri Krishna Singh.

During the speech, an audience member reportedly interrupted him, insisting that Modi would not leave office. Kharge responded with a remark referring to the Prime Minister’s father, prompting criticism from BJP leaders.

The exchange took place during a wider political address in which Kharge criticised the BJP, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Election Commission of India. He also raised allegations concerning electoral roll revisions and the protection of voting rights.

BJP Announces Protests Across India

Following the incident, the BJP directed its state units to organise demonstrations at their respective headquarters on October 26.

BJP leaders argued that political disagreements should focus on governance, public policy and the performance of elected representatives rather than personal references to family members. The party demanded an apology from Kharge and condemned the language used during the Patna event.

The controversy also prompted a police complaint in Bihar. According to a report by PTI published by Rediff, a BJP worker submitted a complaint, which police said would be transferred to the Gandhi Maidan police station because the incident fell within its jurisdiction. The filing of a complaint does not itself establish wrongdoing.

Congress Defends Kharge’s Remarks

Congress disputed the BJP’s interpretation of the exchange. Party representatives argued that Kharge was responding to heckling and referring to Modi’s ideological association with the RSS rather than making a literal personal attack on the Prime Minister’s family.

Congress also alleged that a BJP supporter had first made a remark insulting Kharge’s late father. This account was presented by Congress as context for the exchange and remains a contested aspect of the controversy.

The differing explanations have made the context of the original exchange central to the political dispute.

Electoral Roll Revision Also Featured in Kharge’s Speech

The controversy emerged during a speech that addressed broader questions about democracy and electoral administration.

Kharge accused the BJP-led government and the Election Commission of using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to remove names of opposition supporters. He also called for opposition unity to defend voting rights and constitutional institutions.

These claims were allegations made by the Congress president; they should be distinguished from independently established findings about the electoral revision process.

The incident has therefore drawn attention both to the language used by political leaders and to the substantive electoral issues raised during the event.

BJP–Congress Tensions Intensify

The dispute adds to the continuing political rivalry between the BJP and Congress. The BJP’s nationwide protest announcement signals its intention to challenge Kharge’s remarks publicly, while Congress has sought to place the exchange within the context of heckling and its wider criticism of the ruling party.

The episode also illustrates how brief exchanges at political gatherings can become national controversies, particularly when senior leaders and competing party narratives are involved.

Conclusion

The Mallikarjun Kharge controversy has triggered a nationwide protest announcement by the BJP and a police complaint in Bihar. While the BJP has condemned the remarks and demanded an apology, Congress has argued that the exchange has been taken out of context.

Further clarification from the parties and any subsequent police action may provide additional information about the incident. For now, the dispute remains a developing political controversy involving competing accounts of the exchange in Patna.

This article is based on reports published on October 25–26, 2026. Political allegations and disputed interpretations are attributed to the parties making them.