BJP Launches Nationwide Protests Over Kharge's Remarks on PM's Father

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched nationwide demonstrations on October 26, 2026, demanding an unconditional apology from Indian National Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. The protests followed a Sunday event in Patna celebrating the 139th birth anniversary of Shrikrishna Singh, where Kharge responded to a heckler by stating, "Modi ka baap bhi jayega" (Even Modi’s father will have to go).

BJP supporters staged protests in Delhi, Bengaluru, Jammu, Lucknow, and Bhopal, burning effigies and posters of Kharge and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. In some cities, police detained BJP leaders during the demonstrations. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh condemned the language as a breach of political decorum and a sign of ideological bankruptcy. A police complaint was also filed against Kharge in Patna.

The Congress party defended the remark, with spokesperson Pawan Khera claiming Kharge was referring to the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as the Prime Minister's ideological parent rather than his biological father. Other Congress leaders alleged that the retort was a response to heckling and that BJP workers had first insulted Kharge's own father.

During the same event, Kharge criticized the government's record on black money and job creation, while accusing the RSS of promoting communal divisions. The incident occurred amid a broader opposition campaign led by Rahul Gandhi regarding alleged voter list irregularities.