Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Monday, 26 October publicly rebuked All India Congress Committee (AICC) President Mallikarjun Kharge over his controversial remark targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying Kharge had displayed pettiness unbecoming of his long standing in public life. The row erupted a day after Kharge, at an event in Patna, Bihar, responded to an audience member with the phrase 'Modi ka baap bhi jayega' — widely interpreted as a derogatory reference to the Prime Minister's late father.

What Kumaraswamy Said

In a media statement, Kumaraswamy described Kharge's comments as a clear violation of political decorum that 'mocked human values' and exposed what he called a 'hidden cruel mindset.' He invoked a Kannada verse by sant-poet Purandara Dasa — 'Aachaaravillada naalige, ninna neech buddhiya bidu naalige' — which urges an ill-mannered tongue to abandon its base thoughts, suggesting the centuries-old wisdom was tailor-made for this moment.

Kumaraswamy went further, calling the remarks 'the height of the Congress party's decline' and demanding that Kharge apologise to Prime Minister Modi. He said targeting the Prime Minister's father for political purposes was 'unacceptable and could not be tolerated,' and characterised Kharge's conduct not merely as frustration but as something 'shameful.'

BJP Protests in Bengaluru

The controversy prompted the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to stage a demonstration at Freedom Park in Bengaluru on Monday. The protest was led by Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka and Legislative Council Leader of the Opposition Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, with BJP Members of Parliament, Members of the Legislative Assembly, and Members of the Legislative Council all participating. Ashoka alleged that Kharge's remarks reflected a broader decline in the Congress party's political culture and betrayed its frustration.

The Congress Defence

Karnataka's Home, IT and BT Minister Priyank Kharge — son of the AICC president — pushed back sharply, accusing the BJP of manufacturing a controversy out of 'a non-issue.' He pointed to past remarks that BJP leaders allegedly directed at Congress figures, including comments attributed to Prime Minister Modi about former Prime Minister the late Rajiv Gandhi and by Home Minister Amit Shah about the late Indira Gandhi. Priyank Kharge also cited the use of terms such as 'Jersey cow,' 'hybrid calf,' and 'Pappu' against Congress MP Rahul Gandhi and his mother Sonia Gandhi, questioning the BJP's claim to political decorum.

Why the Row Matters

The exchange is the latest flashpoint in an escalating war of words between the BJP and the Indian National Congress (Congress) ahead of several state electoral cycles. Notably, this is not the first time remarks at a Bihar rally have triggered national-level outrage — the state's political geography consistently makes it a high-decibel arena. The dispute also underscores a familiar pattern: both sides trade accusations of indecorum while each insists the other started it, leaving the electorate to parse a cycle of claim and counter-claim.

With Kharge facing calls from BJP leaders across Karnataka and at the Centre to apologise, and the Congress standing firm in its defence, the row is unlikely to dissipate quickly — particularly as political temperatures remain elevated ahead of upcoming elections.