'Absolutely distasteful, disgraceful': BJP slams Kharge for remarks about PM Modi

New Delhi: The BJP on Monday slammed Mallikarjun Kharge, terming his remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi “absolutely distasteful and disgraceful”.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Modi became the prime minister for a third consecutive term with the people’s mandate and not because of the Congress president’s grace.

Addressing a poll rally in Kathua district of Jammu on Sunday, Kharge had said he will not die until Prime Minister Modi is removed from power and had asserted that the Congress will fight for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.

Reacting to his remarks, Shah said in a post on X, “Yesterday, the Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Ji has outperformed himself, his leaders and his party in being absolutely distasteful and disgraceful in his speech. In a bitter display of spite, he unnecessarily dragged PM Modi into his personal health matters by saying that he would die only after removing PM Modi from power,” he said.

Shah said Kharge’s remarks showed how much “hate and fear” the Congress people have of PM Modi that they are thinking of him “constantly”.

“As for the health of Kharge Ji, Modi Ji prays, I pray and we all pray that he lives a long, healthy life. May he continue to live for many years and may he live to see the creation of a Viksit Bharat by 2047,” he added.

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Nirmala said the Congress leadership never loses any opportunity to display their hate towards Modi.

“Aptly said, Home Minister Amit Shahji,” Sitaraman said in a post on X.

“The leadership of the Congress never loses any opportunity to display their hate towards Narendra Modiji. This speech of Khargeji is one such instance,” she said, adding, “We join in praying for the long life of Congress president Khargeji. We wish he lives to see #Viksit Bharat India @2047.” BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahnawaz Hussain hit out at Kharge for his remarks and said Modi has become prime minister for the third consecutive term with the blessings of the people of the country.

“Is it by your grace that Modiji has become the prime minister? He has become PM because the people of the country have given a clear mandate to his government for a third consecutive term,” the former Union minister told PTI Videos.

Hussain wished a long and healthy life to the Congress president and said, “We pray that Kharge sahab lives for 100 years and on his 100th birthday Prime Minister Modi sends him a bouquet.”