BJP leaders on Monday, 26 October mounted a sharp attack on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks at a party event in Patna, Bihar, demanding an immediate public apology and accusing the Opposition of abandoning basic political decorum. The controversy centres on Kharge's comment — 'Modi ka baap bhi jayega' (Even Modi's father will have to go) — made on Sunday in response to an audience member who suggested Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not leave power without a rebellion.

What Kharge Said and the Trigger

At the Patna event, a member of the audience interrupted Kharge's speech, asserting that Modi would hold on to power unless there was a major revolt. Kharge responded from the dais with the remark and, according to reports, repeated it three times. The BJP swiftly characterised the comment as an insult to the Prime Minister and a reference to his late father, demanding the Congress chief retract the statement.

BJP Leaders Respond

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak broadened the criticism to include earlier remarks by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, saying the party had targeted the Prime Minister's family. 'This goes against India's culture, values and traditions. The people of the country will never accept this. They should apologise. They are frustrated because they have not been able to come to power and are suffering from complete mental bankruptcy,' Pathak said.

BJP MP Manoj Tiwari described the remark as 'very shameful and highly inappropriate,' arguing it had cemented public perception of the Congress as a party lacking basic decorum. 'Mallikarjun Kharge is the National President of the Congress, and now people across the country say that the Congress is a party of ill-mannered people. Kharge has proved this,' Tiwari said. He warned that if Kharge did not apologise, voters would 'punish the party severely.'

BJP MLA Sunil Sharma said the incident went beyond Kharge alone, noting that 'earlier, only Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were engaging in such acts,' and adding that every citizen of the country was hurt when a senior party president made such remarks about a sitting Prime Minister.

Pattern of Escalating Political Language

Tiwari alleged this was not an isolated episode, claiming Congress leaders had previously made objectionable remarks about the Prime Minister's late mother and had used the word 'terrorist' in reference to him. The BJP has previously filed complaints over perceived personal attacks on Modi by opposition leaders, and this episode fits a pattern of escalating rhetoric between the two parties. Notably, the exchange comes ahead of several state assembly elections, raising the political temperature further.

Congress Has Not Responded Publicly

As of the time of reporting, the Congress party had not issued a formal response to the BJP's demand for an apology, nor had Kharge issued a clarification about the intent behind the remark. The absence of a rebuttal may sustain the BJP's narrative through the news cycle. All eyes are now on whether the Congress President addresses the controversy directly or allows the story to recede without comment.