Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, July 8: A major political storm has erupted after BJP leaders accused Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge of making disrespectful and caste-insensitive remarks about President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind. According to the BJP, Kharge referred to President Murmu as “Murma ji” and ex-President Kovind as “Covid ji”, and even accused them of being involved in land grabbing—comments the party decried as offensive and demeaning.

Top BJP figures reacted strongly, branding the statements as not just personal attacks but as slights against the entire Dalit and tribal communities.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma voiced disbelief at the reports. “If such things were said, what message is being sent? President Murmu is a symbol of resilience from a tribal background. To undermine her legacy is to insult every tribal who has struggled to rise,” he said.

Echoing this sentiment, BJP Minister Vishvas Sarang alleged that the Congress’s history of “belittling tribal voices” had hit a new low. “This isn’t a slip-up. This is a continuation of Congress’s contempt towards tribal representation,” he claimed.

BJP Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia accused the Congress of duplicity. “While Rahul Gandhi parades with a copy of the Constitution, his party president openly mocks those who’ve upheld it. Kharge’s statements reveal the Congress’s deeply rooted bias,” Bhatia declared.

Senior BJP MP and legal expert Manan Kumar Mishra described the remarks as “deeply painful and unfortunate”. He said such language was unacceptable from someone in Kharge’s position. “When a tribal woman leads the country as President and a learned Dalit man has served before her, mocking them is not just indecent—it’s disgraceful,” he added.

Another party spokesperson, Shehzad Poonawalla, went further to allege that Kharge’s comments revealed a longstanding bias. “This isn’t about mispronunciation. It’s about mindset. The Congress leadership holds deep-seated prejudice against SCs and STs,” he claimed. “From attacking the judiciary to mocking the Prime Minister, the Congress has repeatedly ridiculed constitutional posts. This is just another chapter in that book.”

While the Congress is yet to issue a formal clarification, BJP leaders have demanded a public apology, asserting that such rhetoric is unbecoming of a national party and disrespectful to the pillars of Indian democracy.