Gandhinagar, April 6 (NationPress) A political controversy erupted on Monday as Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge faced intense backlash from the Gujarat government following comments made during an election rally. Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi confronted Kharge with a series of probing questions and requested an official apology.

During a rally in Kerala's Idukki district in preparation for the Assembly elections, Kharge asserted that the people of Kerala are "educated and clever" and "cannot be misled," contrasting them with "those who are illiterate in Gujarat and elsewhere."

These remarks sparked significant outrage among Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Gujarat, who deemed them disrespectful towards the state and its inhabitants.

In response, Sanghavi expressed that Kharge's statements had wounded the "self-respect and pride of 6.5 crore Gujaratis" and asked, "Did you not feel a moment of shame while insulting the revered land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel?"

He further questioned, "As long as Congress was victorious in Gujarat, the people were commendable, but once you started losing, did Gujarat suddenly become undesirable?"

He continued, "Why do you single out Gujarat in every election? Why do you frequently criticize Gujaratis? What underlies this animosity?" and added, "Is your statement born out of personal frustration or an official stance of Congress to continuously target Gujarat?"

Sanghavi insisted that Kharge should "respond to these queries and apologize not only to Gujarat but to the people of the entire nation."

Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel condemned Kharge’s comments as "extremely objectionable and regrettable," asserting that they had "damaged the dignity of Gujarat" and amounted to "an affront to Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel."

"The Congress mindset towards Gujarat and its people is not new but has existed for years. Gujarat will not endure this humiliation," Patel stated.

He added that such remarks reflect the party’s "insecurity" in light of the "broad public support for development politics under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership."

Extending his critique, Patel claimed that earlier Congress-led administrations had "hindered the Sardar Sarovar dam project" and "prevented Narmada waters from reaching Gujarat for years."

He also mentioned that reductions in fertilizer subsidies and a sudden ban on cotton exports had inflicted "financial damages worth crores to farmers."

The Chief Minister went on to assert that "industries seeking to invest in Gujarat during the Vibrant Summit were met with income tax notices designed to dissuade investment," and that central policies had compelled the state to acquire coal from distant areas at inflated prices.

Highlighting Gujarat’s economic impact, Patel remarked: "The state contributes over eight percent to India’s GDP, around seventeen percent of industrial production, and nearly forty percent of total cargo handling."

He added, "Gujarat accounts for approximately thirty percent of the country’s pharmaceutical market, nineteen percent of exports, and sixteen point five percent of renewable energy."

Challenging Kharge’s assertions, Patel questioned, "How can you label Gujaratis as illiterate and foolish? If Gujarat were truly illiterate, would such development have been achievable?"

This exchange has heightened political tensions between the BJP and Congress as they approach upcoming elections, with the ruling party accusing Kharge of making sweeping and offensive statements, while Congress insists that his comments were part of legitimate political discourse during an election campaign.