Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's father at a public event in Patna on Sunday, 25 October 2026, sparked a sharp political controversy, drawing condemnation from senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders in Gujarat and beyond. The remark — 'Modi ka baap bhi jayega' (Even Modi's father will go) — was made in response to a heckler in the audience, but critics have called it a new low in political discourse.

How the Remark Emerged

Kharge was addressing a gathering in Patna to mark the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar's first Chief Minister, Shri Krishna Singh, when a person in the audience reportedly interjected that PM Modi would not leave office. In an apparent spontaneous retort, Kharge responded with the now-contested phrase, igniting an immediate political firestorm. The remark came in the middle of a broader speech in which Kharge also criticised the BJP-led Union government over electoral rolls and the conduct of elections.

Gujarat Leaders Condemn, Call It a Pattern

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, in a post on social media platform X, described the remark as 'deeply unfortunate and highly condemnable,' asserting that such language against an elected Prime Minister represented 'politics at its lowest.' Patel characterised the episode not as an isolated lapse but as a 'recurring pattern' of frustration from a party unable to counter Modi on policy or development.

'The Prime Minister represents the mandate and pride of 140 crore Indians,' Patel wrote, adding that insulting him amounted to an insult to the entire country. 'In public life, we may have political differences, but the dignity of discourse must never be compromised,' he said.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi also took to X, alleging that Kharge's words reflected the Congress' declining political culture and a 'hollow mindset.' In a Hindi post, Sanghavi claimed that under Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's leadership, the party's politics was moving away from public-interest issues toward personal insults. He added that this was 'not the first time that the Congress has torn apart political propriety through its language and conduct.'

State BJP President Jagdish Vishwakarma called the language used by Kharge an exposure of the Congress' 'political desperation.' 'Remember, the voice of the people cannot be suppressed by abusive words or threats. The people of the country will not forgive these undignified words,' Vishwakarma said.

National BJP Response

Criticism was not limited to Gujarat. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also condemned Kharge's remark, accusing the Congress President of crossing the limits of political decorum. The multi-state, multi-leader backlash signals a coordinated BJP effort to frame the episode as emblematic of what it calls the Congress' culture of personal attacks.

Context and What Comes Next

This episode is not the first time remarks at Congress public events have triggered accusations of overstepping political norms. Critics argue that heated exchanges at commemorative gatherings, where political tempers run high, frequently generate flashpoints that are then amplified across party lines. The Congress, for its part, has not formally responded to the BJP's condemnations. Notably, Kharge's broader address dealt with substantive allegations around electoral roll manipulation — content that has now been largely overshadowed by the row over a single line. The political fallout is expected to reverberate as both parties gear up for upcoming state elections.