Bengaluru, April 9 (NationPress) The Congress unit in Karnataka has come to the defense of the controversial statements made by All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge during his campaign in Assam, asserting that leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are politicizing his choice of words.

In a related event, Dalit organizations in Kharge’s hometown of Kalaburagi held protests, denouncing the alleged offensive comments made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and calling for action against him.

Earlier, at an election rally in Assam’s Sribhumi district on Monday, Kharge referenced the Quran, stating that if a poisonous snake threatens someone, even during prayer, it is imperative to abandon the prayer and deal with the threat.

“I assert that interrupting the prayer is irrelevant. The RSS and the BJP symbolize that poisonous snake,” the Congress President remarked.

During a press briefing at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, Ramesh Babu, the President of the KPCC Media and Communications Department, remarked that Kharge’s comments were directed at the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

He noted that BJP leaders are now making political hay out of the language Kharge employed.

Babu emphasized that a democracy allows for robust criticism. However, he accused several BJP leaders in Karnataka, motivated by political desperation and a thirst for power, of attempting to settle scores through personal attacks against Kharge and his son, Minister Priyank Kharge.

“Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Opposition Leader R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former MP Pratap Simha, former ministers C.T. Ravi, Suresh Kumar, among other BJP leaders, have lambasted Kharge’s political remarks.

During these critiques, some BJP members resorted to personal attacks against Kharge and his family, reflecting their moral decay. Following the orders of the Sangh Parivar and seeking to maintain their political relevance, BJP leaders are resorting to such low tactics. However, Pralhad Joshi maintained his criticism within reasonable bounds,” Ramesh Babu stated.

He further alleged that certain BJP leaders, who had previously gained politically under Kharge and even served under him during their Congress tenure, are now targeting him for personal gain in the BJP. These opportunists are employing personal attacks on the Kharge family to further their ambitions.

“Kharge has played a significant role in advancing various leaders, appointing one to the Karnataka Housing Board in 1999, later as Chairman of the All India Railway Users’ Consultative Committee in 2009, and subsequently as Chairman of the Karnataka State Forest Development Corporation. These leaders, who defected from Congress after being denied tickets and joined the BJP, are now criticizing Kharge despite their lack of moral standing,” he added.

Congress MLA B. Shivanna also pointed out that former BJP MP Pratap Simha has allegedly made personal comments against Kharge, stating that Simha should reconsider his own actions before making such statements.

Likewise, C.T. Ravi’s criticisms of Kharge appear to be an effort to maintain his political stature, prompting calls for him to address his own allegations.

Former minister Suresh Kumar is similarly accused of leveraging this situation to undermine Kharge as he struggles to maintain his position in Rajajinagar.

“Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka has faced scrutiny too, with claims that he has neglected key State issues and concealed criminal cases in his election affidavit,” he noted.

Shivanna added that BJP leaders are unable to counter Kharge and Priyank Kharge on ideological grounds, leading them to resort to personal political attacks as instructed by the Sangh Parivar.

The statement concludes by asserting that BJP leaders should reflect on their own conduct before criticizing Congress leaders, emphasizing that the Congress party is well-equipped to respond to such political assaults.

In a separate event, members of the Dalit Yuva Brigade protested against the alleged derogatory remarks directed at Kharge. The demonstrators gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office to express their outrage toward Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Chanting slogans, they condemned Sarma for making anti-Dalit comments, targeting both the RSS and the BJP during their protest.

The protesters demanded stringent action against Sarma and called on authorities to take their grievances seriously. A complaint was lodged through the Deputy Commissioner to the President, Prime Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, and the Governor of Karnataka.

Police ensured security at the protest site to avert any incidents.

In reaction to the contentious ‘poisonous snake’ remark made by Kharge, which was defended by his son and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, the Karnataka BJP has called for the Centre to initiate legal action against both Congress leaders and imprison them in Tihar Jail.

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma launched a fierce counterattack on Kharge, questioning his statements and using harsh language. “Kharge is aging and speaks like a ‘pagal’ (madman). You insult people first and then claim you will ask the External Affairs Minister for confirmation?” Sarma stated.

He also questioned, “Who is Kharge?”