Kharge remarks row triggers BJP-Congress face-off in Ranchi

RANCHI: The BJP and the Congress traded charges in Ranchi on Monday after the BJP staged a protest outside the Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee office over alleged remarks by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father. The Congress countered the demonstration by accusing the BJP of applying different standards to political speech.

The BJP protest was jointly organised by the Ranchi Mahanagar, Ranchi East and Ranchi West district units. State BJP president Aditya Sahu and Leader of Opposition Babulal Marandi led the demonstration, in which hundreds of party workers participated.

The protesters assembled at the District School premises near Shaheed Chowk and marched towards the Congress office, raising slogans against the Congress and demanding an apology from Kharge.

Sahu said political differences were natural in a democracy but argued that bringing a deceased family member into political disputes was unacceptable. He called on Kharge to apologise to the people of the country, alleging that the remarks fell below the standards expected in public life.

Marandi also described the alleged remarks as inappropriate and unfortunate. He demanded an apology from Kharge or the Congress, while maintaining that criticism of the Prime Minister’s policies and decisions was a democratic right.

Marandi further alleged that the Congress had repeatedly made objectionable remarks about Modi and his family, describing the latest controversy as a sign of the party’s frustration.

Former state BJP presidents Deepak Prakash and Ravindra Rai, state general secretary Amar Bauri and other party leaders and office-bearers from the three district units attended the protest.

Congress accuses BJP of double standards

The Jharkhand Pradesh Congress Committee responded by mobilising its workers at Congress Bhawan and near Subhash Chowk to oppose the BJP’s gherao programme.

Congress state media in-charge Rakesh Sinha accused the BJP of resorting to confrontation instead of responding to questions raised by the opposition. He said the BJP should also account for the language and conduct of its senior leaders.

Referring to the expressions “Rs 50 crore girlfriend” and “Congress widow”, Sinha questioned what he described as the BJP’s selective objections to political remarks. The Congress statement, however, did not provide the full context or dates of the expressions it cited.

Sinha alleged that the BJP applied different standards when remarks concerned Modi and when political leaders or women were targeted. He said public office did not place leaders beyond scrutiny and argued that questioning the Prime Minister was part of democratic accountability.

He added that Congress workers would continue to raise public issues and defend constitutional rights, asserting that demonstrations outside party offices would not deter the party from its political position.

Congress leaders and workers, including Ravindra Singh, Rajesh Gupta, Alok Dubey, Kishore Sahdev, Surendra Singh and Sonal Shanti, attended the counter-demonstration.

The two parties’ competing protests brought their disagreement over political language into the streets of Ranchi, with the BJP demanding an apology from Kharge and the Congress accusing the opposition of selective outrage.