Chennai: Addressing a public rally in Tamil Nadu, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge Tuesday launched an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, referring to him as a “terrorist”, while slamming the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) for partnering with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
Kharge accused the PM of practising divisive politics, and questioned the AIADMK and other regional parties on aligning with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led NDA. He said, “How can they (AIADMK) join with Modi? He is a terrorist. And he is someone who won’t believe in equality. His party won’t believe in equality and justice. And these people are joining with them, it means that they are weakening democracy.”
He alleged that the prime minister’s policies were “terrorising” democratic institutions, minority communities, and the federal structure of the country. Kharge warned the AIADMK that such alliances would only strengthen “anti-people” forces and weaken Tamil Nadu’s interests.
The remarks come at a time when the Congress is attempting to consolidate Opposition forces against the ruling dispensation at the Centre. The speech framed the upcoming state elections as a battle against what it calls “BJP’s authoritarian tendencies”.
Kharge urged voters to reject parties supporting the Centre, and instead back forces committed to secularism, social justice, and state autonomy, which are the core themes in Dravidian politics.
However, he later clarified his remark at a press meet, saying, “He (PM Modi) is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist. What I mean, I want to clarify, is that Modi always threatens. The institutions like ED, I-T and CBI are in his hands. He wants to take delimitation also into his hands.”
The statement sparked political outrage with BJP leader and Union Minister Piyush Goyal slamming Congress. “I feel ashamed that the Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) have stooped so low that they are insulting the prime minister who is democratically elected by the people of India, by calling him a terrorist. Rahul Gandhi and M.K. Stalin must apologise for this downright insult to the Prime Minister as well as the people of India who have voted him in,” he wrote on X.
I feel ashamed that the Congress and the DMK have stooped so low that they are insulting the Prime Minister who is democratically elected by the people of India, by calling him a terrorist.
Rahul Gandhi and MK Stalin must apologise for this downright insult to the Prime… https://t.co/V1nS0H0PPj
— Piyush Goyal (@PiyushGoyal) April 21, 2026
He added that the Congress and DMK have “humiliated 140 crore Indians, including our 8 crore Tamil brothers and sisters, with this statement. This unholy alliance is effectively calling Indians terrorists by targeting the prime minister. Such personal attacks against the PM won’t reverse their electoral fate that has already been sealed by the anger of the people who have suffered their misrule.”
BJP spokesperson Narayanan Thirupathy demanded that Kharge be arrested for his remarks, saying that his statement has insulted the nation and democracy.
This is not the first time Kharge has used strong language against the Modi government. After the Haryana assembly elections in 2024, Kharge had called BJP “a party of terrorists” that lynches and assaults people and commits atrocities against tribals and Dalits.
(Edited by Nardeep Singh Dahiya)
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How come Mr Modi get such a naive opposition filled with those whose tongues slip way too often ?