New Delhi, 21 April (H.S.):

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) issued scathing condemnation of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's remark calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi a terrorist during Tamil Nadu election campaigning, labeling it deliberate character assassination revealing Congress's true mentality.

BJP MP Dr. Sambit Patra, in a video statement Tuesday, asserted Kharge's comment—made April 21 attacking AIADMK's NDA alliance—was intentional, not accidental. He highlighted Rahul Gandhi's recent abusive rhetoric against Modi, noting: Every Congress insult against PM Modi has invited public retribution.

BJP leader Amit Malviya posted on X: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called PM Modi a 'terrorist.' This isn't Kharge's first descent into gutter discourse. He accused Congress of abandoning substantive debate for slandering India's most popular leader.

Kharge later claimed he meant Modi's alleged use of central agencies terrorizes opposition, not literal terrorism—while questioning AIADMK's BJP ties ahead of April 23 Tamil Nadu polls. BJP dismissed the backtrack as damage control.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar