'Atrocious': FM Sitharaman counters Kharge's "terrorist" remark on PM Modi

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman raised a counterattack on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge's recent 'terrorist' remarks on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling it "atrocious" and another low for the opposition party.

"Atrocious! The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha, Kharge of Congress calls PM Modi a terrorist!" Sitharaman said in a post on X.

"Decades in politics doesn’t matter when you have to serve a dynasty. Language of hate blinds reason and propriety. Another low for the Congress party," she added.


Also read: Congress President Kharge calls PM 'terrorist who does not believe in equality,' claims he meant PM terrorising opponents

On the last day of election campaign in Tamil Nadu, Kharge criticised the AIADMK party for supporting the BJP and labelled PM Modi a 'terrorist who does not believe in equality.' He also highlighted opposition unity during the defeat of the Delimitation Bill, which had also been linked to the passage of the Women's Reservation Bill.

"I also thank the Tamil Nadu people who have given MPs to us, that's why we were able to fight and defeat the bill. This is the land of scientific thinking and ideals of Periyar, Dr. Ambedkar, Annadurai, great Kamaraj and Karunanidhi. These people stood for this women's reservation, justice, equality, and fraternity. Modi is not for these principles and one more thing I want to tell how this AIADMK people who themselves put the photo of Annadurai, how can they join with Modi who is a terrorist and who won't believe in equality, his party won't believe in equality and justice and these people are joining with them, it means that they are weakening democracy, they are weakening the philosophy of Annadurai, Kamaraj, Periyar and Karunanidhi and Babasaheb Ambedkar," Kharge said.

"The Congress-DMK alliance will continue to deliver welfare, inclusive growth, quality education and accessible healthcare," he added.

A while later, Kharge defended himself, claiming that he meant to say that the PM was terrorising his political opponents.

"He (PM Modi) is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist...What I mean, I want to clarify, is that Modi always threatens. The institutions like ED, I-T and CBI are in his hands. He wants to take delimitation also into his hands," he said.

Union Minister Piyush Goyal also responded to Kharge's remarks saying the Gandhi family has throttled democracy and has always spoken against India, both in India and even abroad

"... The Gandhi family, Kharge, and the Congress have always made such low-level comments... Kharge's heart and mind are still not able to accept Prime Minister Modi's popularity... They are not able to digest that the Gandhi family has been defeated in three elections in a row. For 25 years, PM Modi led the Gujarat government, and now the central government for the last 12 years, with an unblemished record of public service, unlike the Gandhi family, which in every generation has had scandals associated with it. They have throttled democracy and have always spoken against India, both in India and even abroad... I condemn the Congress's thinking. I condemn the Gandhi family's anti-Modi approach..." Goyal said, as quoted by ANI.