CM Himanta hits out at Kharge over PM Modi's father remark
Synopsis
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma attacked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son on October 26, 2026, accusing them of disrespecting PM Modi's late father and Bharat Ratna Bhupen Hazarika, while noting Kharge's own family suffered at the hands of the Razakars.
Key Takeaways
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma publicly rebuked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son on October 26, 2026 .
Sarma alleged that Kharge and his son made disrespectful remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father .
Sarma also accused them of previously insulting Bharat Ratna Dr.
Bhupen Hazarika , a revered cultural icon of Assam and the Northeast.
Sarma acknowledged that Kharge's own father was killed by the Razakars , the Nizam of Hyderabad's paramilitary force disbanded after Operation Polo in September 1948 .
The exact wording of the alleged remarks by Kharge or his son remains unverified; Congress had not issued a formal response at time of publication.
A political clash rooted in history and personal grief erupted on Monday when Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma sharply rebuked Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and his son, accusing them of making disrespectful remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father — and of insulting Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika.
Posting on X on October 26, 2026, Sarma wrote in Hindi: 'Kharge ji ke pita ka nidhan Razakaron ke kaaran hua tha' — acknowledging that Kharge's own father was killed by the Razakars. Yet the Assam CM turned that acknowledgement into a pointed rebuke, arguing that neither the Congress president nor his son reflects the values of national interest and dignity in their public statements.
The Razakar wound Sarma invoked
The Razakars were the paramilitary force of the Nizam of Hyderabad, notorious for violence against civilians before India's Operation Polo in September 1948 forcibly integrated the princely state into the Union. The force was disbanded after the military action. Kharge, a senior leader from Karnataka whose family hailed from that region, has spoken publicly about the personal toll the Razakars took on his family.
By leading with that fact, Sarma framed his attack as all the more damning — essentially arguing that a man whose family suffered under the Razakars should understand the weight of history and national dignity, making the alleged disrespectful remarks inexcusable.
The Bhupen Hazarika slight
Sarma also alleged that Kharge and his son had previously insulted Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the legendary Assamese singer, lyricist and filmmaker who was awarded the Bharat Ratna in 2019 — India's highest civilian honour. Hazarika is a deeply revered figure across the Northeast, and any perceived slight against him carries particular resonance in Assam, Sarma's home turf.
The specific nature of the alleged remarks about Hazarika has not been independently verified, and the exact wording of the statements made by Kharge or his son about the Prime Minister's late father is similarly unconfirmed from available records.
A BJP-Congress pattern that keeps repeating
This exchange fits a well-worn playbook. BJP leaders have repeatedly invoked 1947–48 era events — the Partition, the integration of princely states, the Razakar violence — to challenge the Congress's nationalist credentials. For Sarma specifically, references to Bhupen Hazarika serve a dual purpose: they defend Northeast cultural pride while placing Congress on the wrong side of a universally respected icon.
The Congress party and its Assam unit had not issued a formal response at the time of publication. Whether the exchange spills into upcoming state assembly sessions remains a live question — but with Sarma's social media reach and a national election cycle always on the horizon, the volley is unlikely to go unanswered for long.
Point of View
While simultaneously defending Northeast cultural pride through the Bhupen Hazarika reference. The move is consistent with BJP's broader strategy of using 1947–48 integration narratives to frame Congress as insufficiently nationalist. For Sarma personally — as NEDA convenor and Assam's dominant political figure — defending Hazarika's legacy also shores up his regional base. The Congress's silence at time of publication suggests the party is weighing a response carefully, aware that any counter risks amplifying a narrative BJP is already winning on social media.
NationPress
26 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Himanta Biswa Sarma mention Razakars in connection with Mallikarjun Kharge?
Sarma acknowledged that Kharge's father was killed by the Razakars, the violent paramilitary force of the Nizam of Hyderabad that was disbanded after Operation Polo in 1948, using this to argue that Kharge, of all people, should understand the importance of national dignity and respect.
What did Himanta Biswa Sarma say about Bhupen Hazarika?
Sarma alleged that Congress president Kharge and his son had insulted Bharat Ratna Dr. Bhupen Hazarika, the celebrated Assamese singer and lyricist honoured with India's highest civilian award in 2019. The specific nature of the alleged slight was not detailed in the post.
What is the dispute between BJP and Congress about PM Modi's late father?
Assam CM Sarma accused Kharge and his son of making disrespectful comments about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's late father. The exact wording of the alleged remarks has not been independently verified.
Who were the Razakars?
The Razakars were a paramilitary force loyal to the Nizam of Hyderabad that carried out violence against civilians prior to India's military operation — Operation Polo — in September 1948, which integrated the Hyderabad princely state into the Indian Union and disbanded the force.
Has Congress responded to Himanta Biswa Sarma's attack on Kharge?
As of the time of publication on October 26, 2026, neither the Congress party nor its Assam unit had issued a formal public response to Sarma's post.
