New Delhi, April 21 Leaders of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Tuesday lashed out at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge following a controversy over the latter's remarks aimed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Criticising the Congress, the NDA leaders said the Prime Minister does not require a certificate from a "party of urban Naxals".
The Congress President purportedly called PM Modi a "terrorist" during a press conference in Tamil Nadu ahead of the April 23 Assembly election.
Reacting to the Congress President's objectionable remark against PM Modi, Shiv Sena spokesperson Shaina NC termed it as the "audacity" of Mallikarjun Kharge.
She said, "India's democratically elected Prime Minister does not require a certificate from a 'party of urban Naxals'. This is not the first time they (Congress) have made a comment. They called him (PM Modi) 'a poisonous snake' in April 2023."
"It is the public which will give you a befitting reply Mr. Kharge," she told IANS.
Condemning Kharge's remark, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "I strongly condemn Mallikarjun Kharge for using such inappropriate words. The Prime Minister has been touring West Bengal for the last two to three days, and the way he is being welcomed by the people here shows immense respect."
"If Mallikarjun Kharge uses such language, it reflects his conduct and his political understanding," he told IANS.
Echoing similar view, JD-U MP Sanjay Kumar Jha said, "He (PM Modi) is the democratically elected Prime Minister of the country and has won for a third time with the people's mandate. The kind of language the Congress party is using is being watched by the entire nation."
"If this continues, Congress will not have any future in the next 50 years," he added.
Expressing her disappointment with Kharge's remark, Shiv Sena leader Manisha Kayande said, "It seems Mallikarjun Kharge has lost his mental balance."
She told IANS that if a senior political leader like Mallikarjun Kharge speaks like this, then "Sonia Gandhi will have to think about Congress' future".
BJP spokesperson M. Ashok said, "It would be good if Kharge ji takes retirement now because he is not realising what he is saying. He is only accusing PM Modi to garner votes for the Congress."
Meanwhile, in his address to the press, Kharge had said, "How these AIADMK people, who themselves put the photo of Annadurai, how can they join PM Modi? He is a terrorist. His party won't believe in equality and justice. These people are joining with them; it means they are weakening democracy, they are weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar, Kaliagnar, Baba Saheb Ambedkar."
Later in a clarification, the Congress President added, "I did not mean that PM Modi is a terrorist. What I meant was that people are being terrorised, and institutions and agencies are being used to intimidate them."
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