Bengaluru, April 9 (NationPress) The Congress unit in Karnataka has come to the defense of All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge following his controversial comments made during the Assam election campaign. They assert that leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are politicizing his words.

In related developments, Dalit groups in Kharge's hometown of Kalaburagi organized a protest against the alleged derogatory comments made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, demanding action against him.

During an election rally in Assam's Sribhumi district, Kharge referenced the Quran, stating that if a poisonous snake is in one’s path, even while performing namaz, one should abandon the prayer to deal with the threat. “I argue that interrupting namaz is inconsequential. The RSS and the BJP represent that poisonous snake,” Kharge had remarked.

At a press conference in Bengaluru, Ramesh Babu, President of the KPCC Media and Communications Department, emphasized that Kharge's comments were aimed at critiquing the BJP and the Sangh Parivar during the election. He accused BJP leaders of misusing the language Kharge employed.

Babu stressed the importance of healthy criticism in a democracy, but noted that out of political desperation, several BJP members in Karnataka are resorting to personal attacks against Kharge and his son, Minister Priyank Kharge.

Notable BJP figures including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, and others have publicly criticized Kharge’s statements. According to Babu, some BJP leaders have engaged in personal attacks that reveal their moral decline, acting on directives from the Sangh Parivar to maintain their political relevance. He did, however, acknowledge that Joshi's criticisms were within acceptable limits.

Babu further alleged that certain BJP leaders, who once benefited from Kharge’s leadership during his tenure in Congress, are now attacking him to advance their careers in the BJP, despite lacking a moral basis to do so. “Kharge has a history of supporting and promoting various leaders, including appointing one as a member of the Karnataka Housing Board in 1999,” he stated.

Congress MLA B. Shivanna remarked that former BJP MP Pratap Simha had made inappropriate personal comments about Kharge. He urged Simha to reflect on his past before making such statements.

Similarly, C.T. Ravi targeted Kharge in an apparent attempt to keep himself relevant in politics, while former minister Suresh Kumar is accused of using this controversy to regain prominence.

Shivanna claimed that Kumar is politically weakened and struggling in Rajajinagar. He also criticized R. Ashoka for failing to effectively address state issues, alleging he concealed criminal cases in his election affidavit.

He concluded that BJP leaders are unable to counter Kharge and his son on ideological grounds, resorting instead to political attacks directed by the Sangh Parivar.

In a separate incident, members of the Dalit Yuva Brigade protested against the remarks made by Sarma, expressing their outrage outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office, accusing him of anti-Dalit sentiments and targeting the RSS and BJP.

The protesters demanded stringent action against Sarma, submitting a complaint through the Deputy Commissioner to various authorities including the President and Prime Minister. Police maintained order during the protests.

In response to Kharge’s ‘poisonous snake’ comment, the Karnataka BJP called for the Centre to file charges against Kharge and Priyank Kharge, suggesting they face severe consequences.

Chief Minister Sarma criticized Kharge's remarks, questioning his mental state and dismissing his status with comments like, “Who is Kharge?”