K'taka Congress Defends Kharge's 'Poisonous Snake' Remark

(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, April 9 (IANS) The Karnataka Congress unit has defended the controversial remarks made by All India Congress Committee President Mallikarjun Kharge during the Assam election campaign, stating that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders are making political remarks over the language he used.

Meanwhile, Dalit groups in Kharge's native Kalaburagi staged a protest, condemning alleged derogatory statements by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and urging action against him.

Earlier, during an election rally in Assam's Sribhumi district on Monday, Kharge, citing the Quran, said that if a poisonous snake is passing in front of someone, even if he is offering namaz, then he should leave the namaz and kill that poisonous snake.

“I would say that breaking the namaz does not matter. The RSS and the BJP are that poisonous snake,” the Congress President had said.

Addressing a press conference at the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee office in Bengaluru, KPCC Media and Communications Department President Ramesh Babu stated that during the election campaign, Kharge criticised the BJP and the Sangh Parivar.

He said BJP leaders are now making political remarks over the language he used.

He added that in a democracy, there is space for healthy criticism. However, several BJP leaders in Karnataka, driven by political desperation and hunger for power, are attempting to settle political scores by making personal attacks against Kharge and his son, Minister Priyank Kharge.

“Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly R. Ashoka, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, former MP Pratap Simha, former ministers C.T. Ravi, Suresh Kumar, and other BJP leaders have criticised Kharge's political statement.

During this criticism, some BJP leaders have resorted to personal attacks against Kharge and his family, which reflects their moral bankruptcy. Following the directives of the Sangh Parivar and in a bid to safeguard their political relevance, BJP leaders have stooped to such low-level criticism. However, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi expressed his criticism within acceptable limits,” Ramesh Babu said.

He alleged that certain BJP leaders, who once benefited politically through Kharge and even served under him during their time in the Congress party, are now targeting him to gain political opportunities in the BJP. Such opportunistic leaders, seeking further gains, are resorting to personal attacks on the Kharge family.

“Kharge is credited with having supported and elevated certain leaders in the past, including appointing one such leader as a member of the Karnataka Housing Board in 1999, later as Chairman of the All India Railway Users' Consultative Committee in 2009, and subsequently as Chairman of the Karnataka State Forest Development Corporation. These leaders, who left the Congress party after being denied tickets and joined the BJP, are now criticising Kharge and his family despite lacking moral grounds to do so,” he stated.

Congress MLA B. Shivanna said that former BJP MP Pratap Simha has allegedly made personal remarks against Kharge. He added that, before making public statements, Simha should reflect on his own conduct.

Similarly, C.T. Ravi has criticised Kharge in an attempt to sustain his political relevance and has been asked to first respond to allegations against himself.

Former minister Suresh Kumar is also accused of using this opportunity to criticise Kharge in an attempt to regain political prominence.

Shivanna alleged that Kumar is politically weakened and struggling to retain his position in Rajajinagar.

“Leader of the Opposition R. Ashoka has also been criticised, with allegations that he has failed to highlight State issues effectively and had previously concealed criminal cases in his election affidavit,” he stated.

He further alleged that BJP leaders are unable to counter Kharge and Priyank Kharge ideologically and are therefore resorting to political attacks as per the direction of the Sangh Parivar.

The statement concludes that BJP leaders should introspect on their own conduct before criticising Congress leaders, and asserts that the Congress party is capable of responding to such political attacks.

Meanwhile, members of the Dalit Yuva Brigade staged a protest over alleged derogatory remarks against Kharge. The protesters gathered in front of the Deputy Commissioner's office and expressed strong outrage against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

Raising slogans, they accused him of making anti-Dalit remarks and targeted the RSS and the BJP during the demonstration.

The protesters demanded strict action against Sarma and urged authorities to take the matter seriously. A complaint was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner to the President, the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, and the Governor of Karnataka.

Police maintained security at the protest site to prevent any untoward incidents.

Taking objection to the controversial 'poisonous snake remark' by Kharge and the act of defending it by his son and Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, the Karnataka BJP on Wednesday demanded that the Centre should file a case against the two Congress leaders and send them to Tihar Jail.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had launched a scathing attack on Kharge, questioning his statements and using strong language.“Kharge is aging and is speaking like a 'pagal' (madman). You insult the people first and then say you will ask the External Affairs Minister for verification?” Chief Minister Sarma said.

He also made remarks such as“Who is Kharge?”

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