New Delhi, Oct 26 (PTI) Union minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh, alias Lalan Singh, slammed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday over his remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Singh alleged that Kharge has repeatedly crossed all limits of political decorum and claimed that the Congress president has become “mentally unwell”.
JD (U) national working president and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha also accused Kharge of reflecting Rahul Gandhi’s “political culture”, alleging the comments were deliberate and stemmed from frustration.
The remarks came a day after Kharge sparked a controversy with his statement, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”, in response to an audience member who said the prime minister would not go anywhere. The incident occurred during an event in Patna, where the Congress president addressed a programme organised to mark the 139th birth anniversary of Bihar’s first chief minister, Shrikrishna Singh.
Responding to Kharge’s statement that the Congress would send those involved in alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to jail, someone in the audience shouted that as long as there was no rebellion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi would never go anywhere. Kharge retorted, saying, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.”
Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Singh questioned how someone in such a senior political position could use such language against the prime minister.
“The Congress president has repeatedly crossed all limits of decorum, leaving no line that he has not crossed. There can be only two reasons for this: either age is taking its toll on him, or he has become mentally unwell. How can the Congress party president use such language against the prime minister? One cannot even imagine such a thing,” he said.
Referring to the political opposition to former prime minister Indira Gandhi during the 1974 movement, the JD (U) leader said people had fought against her government but had refrained from using derogatory language against her. “Congress leaders have also served as prime ministers of this country. During the 1974 movement, people fought against Indira Gandhi’s rule, but no one used derogatory language against her. What has happened to these people?” he asked.
Singh also criticised the Congress over its repeated attacks on Modi and referred to the controversy surrounding alleged abuse directed at Modi’s mother during a rally in Darbhanga against the SIR.
“The Congress party is constantly making such attempts. Rahul Gandhi went to Darbhanga to hold a rally against the SIR, and Modi’s mother was abused there. On one occasion, he called the prime minister a thief. What is this? The Congress party has crossed all limits,” he said.
Taking a swipe at the Congress’s electoral performance, Singh said the people are not giving the party a chance to return to power and claimed its political influence is steadily declining.
“Had the people, by some misfortune, given it an opportunity, Rahul Gandhi would have taken the country to a situation worse than what it experienced during Indira Gandhi’s tenure,” he added.
Emphasising the need to maintain standards of political discourse, Singh said opposition to the government is legitimate but should not come at the cost of basic propriety. “There is such a thing as decorum in politics, and there are limits to political opposition. One can oppose the government, but that opposition must also have its limits and adhere to certain standards of propriety. The Congress has crossed every boundary,” he said.
Singh also suggested that the Congress president is following Rahul Gandhi’s example in the choice of language.
“The Congress party and Rahul Gandhi are complementary to each other. Perhaps the party felt Rahul Gandhi had become a very big leader and, since he used such language, it should do the same. There is no self-control whatsoever,” he said.
Jha told reporters inside the Parliament House complex, “It is complete frustration. Look at the way Kharge ji speaks. This wasn’t an accidental remark; it was deliberate. It reflects what they believe in and the new political culture that has emerged under Rahul Gandhi’s leadership. This is the kind of language they use.”
He also referred to an earlier objectionable remark allegedly made about the prime minister’s mother at a Congress event in Darbhanga during Rahul Gandhi’s campaign in Bihar against the SIR.
“The people of this country observe everything. They should understand that the people have voted for the prime minister and elected him for a third consecutive term. What remains of the Congress in this country? This is nothing but frustration,” he said.
Jha alleged that Congress leaders are not apologising because they have made the remarks deliberately and believed in what they were saying. “And this is the kind of language they teach people in their party. Their workers use such language, and their leaders do the same,” he said.
“Given the state of the Congress and its continued use of such language, I believe the people of this country will wipe out the Congress for the next 100 years,” Jha said. PTI ADI ASD
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