Kharge ‘terrorist’ remark on PM Modi: BJP moves Election Commission

A high-level BJP delegation met the @ECISVEEP today with deep sorrow and anger.
For @kharge ji to call Hon’ble PM @narendramodi ji a “terrorist” is not just a remark, it is a grave insult to the entire nation.
Such disgraceful conduct cannot be normalised. We have urged the… pic.twitter.com/oBkzPkaWf0

— Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 22, 2026

‘Congress repeatedly used abusive language against PM’: Sitharaman

Sitharaman, speaking at a joint press conference after registering a complaint with the ECI claimed that Congress has repeatedly used such abusive language against the prime minister.

“Today we appeared before the polling commission to bring to their notice that the President of Congress and the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha have spoken in such condemnable words… The Congress has shown a pattern of repeatedly using abusive language against the Prime Minister,” Sitharaman told the reporters.

“… There’s no change or correction in their course. They have not changed their approach,” she said.

At the meeting with ECI, Sitharaman highlighted Kharge’s “condemnable” remarks, pointed out its “sensitive” timing since it comes at a time when the country marks the “solemn, and very soulful day” of the first anniversary of the terror attack in Pahalgam, that led to the killings of 26 people in 2025.

Emphasising the BJP government’s stand on terrorism in India, the FM said, “A country where its Prime Minister has repeatedly said zero tolerance for terror. We will take every action as opposed to the way in which the Congress-led UPA acted on terrorists. They did all kinds of compromises, they didn’t take any action, whereas you find a Prime Minister who’s taken the sternest position and made sure terrorism is not given any inch of space in this country and here is the Congress party President calling him a terrorist. Outrageous.”

‘An insult to democratic mandate’

Echoing Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal’s statement that Kharge’s remark was an insult to the democratic mandate,” Sitharaman said, “it’s both an insult to the elected mandate given by the people of India. 140 crore people have given this mandate. It’s an insult. More importantly, it’s an insult to the entire system in this country where, through elections, people choose their leader and once chosen, he is the leader for the entire country.”

Stating that no political party had ever touched that level of disrespect as the Congress, Kiren Rijiju, too, said that the BJP delegation has demanded the EC to take “strict action.” He also asked the Congress President to apologise to the entire country.

What did Kharge say?

Kharge’s remarks came on the final day of campaigning in Tamil Nadu. He told the gathering: “Periyar, Dr Ambedkar, Annadurai, Kamaraj and Kalaignar – these people stood for women’s reservation, justice, equality and fraternity. Modi is not for these principles… How can these AIADMK people join hands with Modi when their party itself was founded by Annadurai? He is a terrorist. His party does not believe in equality and justice. These people are joining with them – it means they are weakening democracy.”

Kharge, in his defence, clarified, saying: “I just want to clarify that what I said was Modi always threatens, using agencies in his hand such as the ED and IT. All these institutions are in his hands. Again, this delimitation also, he wants to take in his hand. Therefore, in that context I said he is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist.”