BJP Gujarat protests Kharge's remark on PM Modi's father, demands apology
Synopsis
Gujarat BJP took to the streets against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge over a remark about PM Modi's late father, while party leadership simultaneously held a raft of organisational meetings — covering tribal outreach for Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah and OBC community engagement — signalling a calculated two-track strategy of public protest and quiet ground-level mobilisation.
Key Takeaways
BJP Gujarat staged a protest at Gandhinagar on 26 October against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remark about PM Modi's late father, demanding an apology.
The march went from GH-5 Circle to the Gandhinagar city Congress office , with leaders including MLA Ritaben Patel and Yuva Morcha president Dr Naresh Desai participating.
BJP state in-charge Tarun Chugh and state president Jagdish Vishwakarma reviewed the 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign, targeting Congress's alleged attempts to spread unrest.
Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah-2026 is scheduled from 11 to 18 November to mark the 151st birth anniversary of Bhagwan Birsa Munda .
An executive meeting of the state Bakshi Panch Morcha was held at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hall, Sector 12, Gandhinagar .
The Gujarat unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a protest in Gandhinagar on Monday, 26 October, against a remark made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge concerning the late father of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Party workers, elected representatives and leaders marched demanding a public apology from Kharge and raised slogans against the Congress leadership.
The Protest: Route and Participants
The demonstration began at GH-5 Circle in Gandhinagar and proceeded to the Gandhinagar city Congress office. Among those who participated were BJP state co-in-charge Ajay Mahavar, state general secretaries Ajay Brahmbhatt and Hitendrasinh Chauhan, state Yuva Morcha president Dr Naresh Desai, Gandhinagar city BJP president Dr Ashishkumar Dave, and MLA Ritaben Patel. The BJP described Kharge's remark as 'indecent and condemnable.'
Organisational Meetings on Party Campaigns
Separately, BJP state in-charge Tarun Chugh and state president Jagdish Vishwakarma chaired a series of organisational meetings at the party headquarters and other venues across Gandhinagar. At a review meeting of the party's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign, the two leaders discussed what the BJP alleged were Congress's efforts to spread public unrest, question constitutional institutions without basis, and create confusion among citizens. The party stated the campaign is aimed at bringing facts to light in response to these allegations.
Tribal Outreach: Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah 2026
Chugh and Vishwakarma also attended a meeting of the state Tribal Morcha to review preparations for 'Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah-2026', a week-long observance scheduled from 11 to 18 November to mark the 151st birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda. The meeting was attended by Tribal Morcha president Ganpat Vasava, state government ministers, MPs, MLAs and party representatives from the tribal community. Planned activities include cleaning tribal memorials, organising a festival of lights, offering floral tributes to Birsa Munda, holding tribal self-respect conventions and conducting sports competitions.
Bakshi Panch Morcha Executive Meeting
Chugh, Vishwakarma and Mahavar also attended the executive meeting of the state Bakshi Panch Morcha at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hall in Sector 12, Gandhinagar. They interacted with party leaders and workers and discussed preparations for upcoming organisational programmes. State Bakshi Panch Morcha president Mansinh Parmar and other office-bearers were present. Chugh, who arrived in Gujarat earlier in the day, also visited the Koteshwar Mahadev Temple in Gandhinagar and offered prayers for public welfare.
The packed schedule of meetings signals the BJP's focus on consolidating its outreach among tribal and OBC communities in Gujarat ahead of what observers note is a politically charged period for the party in the state.
Point of View
However, is the simultaneous tribal and OBC outreach: the Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah and Bakshi Panch Morcha meetings signal that the party is working the social coalition it needs in Gujarat's interior constituencies. The Congress remark gives BJP a headline grievance; the organisational meetings are where the longer-term electoral arithmetic is being built.
NationPress
27 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Mallikarjun Kharge say that triggered the BJP protest in Gujarat?
The BJP Gujarat unit protested against a remark made by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge concerning the late father of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The party described the remark as 'indecent and condemnable' and demanded a public apology, though the specific wording of Kharge's remark was not detailed in available reports.
Where did the BJP protest in Gandhinagar take place?
The protest began at GH-5 Circle in Gandhinagar and marched to the Gandhinagar city Congress office on 26 October. Senior BJP functionaries, elected representatives and party workers participated in the demonstration.
What is Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah 2026?
Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah-2026 is a week-long BJP-organised observance scheduled from 11 to 18 November to mark the 151st birth anniversary of tribal icon Bhagwan Birsa Munda. Planned events include cleaning tribal memorials, a festival of lights, floral tributes, tribal self-respect conventions and sports competitions.
Who are Tarun Chugh and Jagdish Vishwakarma, and what did they do in Gujarat?
Tarun Chugh is the BJP's state in-charge for Gujarat and Jagdish Vishwakarma is the state party president. On 26 October, they chaired multiple organisational meetings in Gandhinagar covering the 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign, tribal outreach for Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah, and the Bakshi Panch Morcha executive meeting.
What is the BJP's 'Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy' campaign?
It is a BJP initiative that the party says is aimed at countering what it alleges are Congress's efforts to spread public unrest, question constitutional institutions without basis, and create confusion among citizens. Party leaders reviewed the campaign's rollout at meetings in Gandhinagar on 26 October.
