The Election Commission of India on Wednesday took serious note of a controversial remark made by Mallikarjun Kharge, in which he allegedly referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “terrorist,” and issued a stern notice seeking an explanation within 24 hours. The notice was issued a day before polling in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal.
The controversy stems from remarks Kharge made at a press conference in Chennai on Tuesday, where he criticised the alliance between the BJP and the AIADMK. During his comments, he referred to Modi as a “terrorist,” prompting strong reactions from the BJP.
Kharge later clarified that he did not mean the term literally and said he was referring to what he described as the prime minister “terrorising” political parties and democratic institutions through the alleged misuse of government machinery and central agencies.
"He is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist (in the literal sense). He is misusing his power and government machinery and abusing and maligning opposition parties," Kharge said.
He also questioned how the AIADMK, which draws on the Dravidian ideologies of leaders such as C.N. Annadurai, could align with the BJP.
A BJP delegation comprising three Union ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman, approached the ECI on Wednesday, demanding “strictest action” against Kharge for his “terrorist” remark against PM Modi.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Sitharaman said, “Today, we appeared before the full commission to bring to its notice that no less a person than the president of the Congress and the leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha has spoken in such condemnable words.
Kharge chose to call the prime minister a “terrorist” while addressing a press conference in Tamil Nadu, an election-bound state, the finance minister said, terming the Congress chief’s remark “outrageous”.
“It's an insult to the mandate given by the people of India (to Prime Minister Modi). More importantly, it is an insult to the entire system where people choose their leader through elections, and once chosen, he is the leader for the entire country,” Sitharaman said.
She also alleged that the Congress is “completely frustrated” and making such remarks against the prime minister amid assembly polls in Tamil Nadu and West Bengal because of its "deep hatred" towards Modi.
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
