Kharge remark about Modi’s father prompts BJP protest call

India’s Bharatiya Janata Party called for nationwide protests on October 26, 2026, after Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge made a remark invoking Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father. The exchange occurred at a party event in Bihar focused on alleged voter-roll irregularities, bringing a personal confrontation into an already contentious dispute over election administration.

Key facts about the dispute

Kharge made the remark while discussing allegations surrounding voter-roll revisions at a Congress event in Bihar.
BJP representatives announced protest rallies, with some planning to burn effigies.
Home Minister Amit Shah condemned the remark and accused Congress of repeatedly targeting Modi’s family.
Congress leaders defended Kharge by pointing to personal attacks they said BJP politicians had made against their members.

What did Kharge say, and what prompted it?

Kharge said that “even Modi’s father will go” to jail after an audience member challenged his assertion that those responsible for alleged voter-roll irregularities, including Modi, would be imprisoned. According to Press Trust of India, as reported by DW, the audience member had said Modi would not go anywhere without a rebellion.

The exchange took place during an Indian National Congress event in the eastern state of Bihar. Kharge had been discussing the controversial voter-roll revision and alleging wrongdoing by officials involved in it.

DW’s October 26 coverage described Kharge’s wording as a commonly used expression in India. BJP leaders nevertheless argued that invoking the prime minister’s deceased father was offensive and inappropriate in political debate.

The underlying electoral allegations remain distinct from that argument over language. Congress has accused Modi of using the revision process to “steal votes”; that is the party’s allegation, not an established finding in this account.

How BJP and Congress responded

BJP spokespersons and regional leaders said they were organizing rallies across India, including demonstrations at which participants planned to burn effigies. Those statements described planned action, rather than confirming that the protests had already taken place.

Home Minister Amit Shah also criticized Kharge on October 26. In a post on X, he accused Congress of repeatedly directing abusive language at Modi and his family. Shah attributed those attacks to what he characterized as the opposition party’s frustration over losing political support.

BJP’s social media messaging framed the dispute as a question of respect for deceased parents and acceptable political conduct. Congress leaders countered that BJP politicians had themselves made personal remarks about Congress members at rallies. That response defended Kharge by challenging BJP’s conduct rather than resolving the competing claims about voter rolls.

What the dispute means for voters and protest participants

For voters, the underlying issue is the revision of electoral lists. DW reported that allegations of mass deletions of voter names and irregularities involving the election authorities had prompted major protests by opposition parties, political pressure groups and student organizations. Congress had intensified its year-long campaign against Modi over the process.

The immediate development was a separate call for BJP demonstrations over Kharge’s language. The distinction matters: the opposition-led protests concerned allegations about election administration, while the newly announced BJP rallies concerned a remark about the prime minister’s family. Neither the exchange nor the protest announcements establish whether the alleged voter-roll irregularities occurred.

Questions about the controversy

Did BJP announce nationwide protests?

Yes. On October 26, 2026, BJP spokespersons and regional leaders announced nationwide protest plans over Kharge’s remark. Some demonstrations were expected to include effigy burning; the report described plans, not completed protests.

Why were voter rolls part of the exchange?

Kharge was speaking at a Congress event in Bihar about alleged irregularities in voter-roll revisions. His remark followed an exchange with an audience member after he said those responsible, including Modi, would be sent to jail.