Former Karnataka Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday, 17 September, alleged that the Congress has consistently supported forces opposed to the country and its interests, reacting sharply to remarks by Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president B.K. Hariprasad who described jailed activist Umar Khalid as a 'nationalist.' Speaking to reporters in Hubballi, Bommai accused the opposition party of engaging in vote-bank politics by backing individuals he characterised as anti-national.

What Triggered the Row

The controversy erupted after Hariprasad, speaking in Bengaluru on Tuesday, defended Umar Khalid — currently in jail — and took aim at the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarathi Parishad (ABVP). 'Umar Khalid is a nationalist, and ABVP has no right to speak on Umar Khalid because ABVP adores Nathuram Godse — who was an anti-national and the first terrorist of the country. They have no moral right or moral ethics to speak on Umar Khalid,' Hariprasad told reporters. The remarks ignited an immediate political backlash from the BJP and thrust the debate into the broader student community.

What Bommai Alleged

Responding directly to Hariprasad's remarks, Bommai alleged that supporting a jailed individual amounted to endorsing anti-national elements. 'Umar Khalid himself says that he is not a nationalist or a nationalistic person. He has carried out anti-India activities and is now in jail. By supporting such people, Congress is engaging in vote-bank politics,' Bommai alleged. He further claimed that the present-day Congress was different from the party that had led the freedom movement, calling it a 'fake Congress' whose leaders, he alleged, lacked concern for the country's interests and culture.

Broader Allegations Against Congress

Bommai additionally alleged that the Congress had previously attempted to frame the Mumbai terror attacks as 'saffron terror' and had taken positions favouring Pakistan — both of which, he claimed, were detrimental to national interests. He alleged that Congress leaders were joining hands with foreign forces and elements opposed to India, and stated that Hariprasad's remark had 'once again established this.' Bommai further demanded strict legal action against those who support what he described as anti-national forces, calling such statements 'shameful and condemnable.'

Political Context

The exchange reflects the deepening political fault lines in Karnataka, where the Congress government led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces sustained pressure from the BJP opposition. The Umar Khalid case — involving charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots — has remained politically charged at the national level. Notably, this is not the first time Karnataka's Congress leaders have drawn BJP fire over statements on contentious national security matters, and the controversy is likely to sharpen with the state assembly session approaching.