"Congress has repeatedly used abusive language against PM": Nirmala Sitharaman slams Kharge's remarks against PM

While speaking in the Joint Press Conference after the BJP delegation filed a complaint at the Election Commission, Sitharaman said that the Congress has shown a pattern of repeatedly using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"Today we appeared before the polling commission to bring to their notice that the President of Congress and the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha have spoken in such condemnable words... addressing the media in an election-bound state, and called the Prime Minister a 'Terrorist'... The Congress has shown a pattern of repeatedly using abusive language against the Prime Minister," Sitharaman said.

The Finance Minister also referred to the Pahalgam terror attack anniversary, saying the timing of the remarks was particularly sensitive.

"As Kiran ji rightly said, today we mark the solemn and very soulful day of one-year completion after the Pahalgam attack, where civilians, unarmed civilians, were killed right in front of their families. We are just marking today the first complete year and on the eve of that day today, the President of Congress party goes to an election-bound state, Chennai, he sits in a press conference and says this," she added.

Sitharaman alleged that the Congress party has consistently used "abusive language" against the Prime Minister. "It has been a pattern in the Congress party that they use chosen abusive language against the Prime Minister and they repeatedly use it, there's no change or correction in their course. They have not changed their approach," she said.

She further said the matter was raised before the full commission, including concerns over repeated statements targeting the Prime Minister.

"Today, when we appeared before the commission, the full commission, we highlighted the fact that if a party repeatedly does this and calls the Prime Minister all kinds of abusive names. Today, the words that Shri Mallikarjun Kharge has used, calling him a terrorist is the bottommost in the pit that they have fallen," Sitharaman said.

Referring to the government's stand on terrorism, she said, "A country where its Prime Minister has repeatedly said zero tolerance for terror. We will take every action as opposed to the way in which the Congress-led UPA acted on terrorists. They did all kinds of compromises, they didn't take any action, whereas you find a Prime Minister who's taken the sternest position and made sure terrorism is not given any inch of space in this country and here is the Congress party President calling him a terrorist. Outrageous."

Sitharaman also said the remarks amount to an insult to the democratic mandate.

"As was rightly pointed out by our Law and Justice Minister in the Commission, it's both an insult to the elected mandate given by the people of India. 140 crore people have given this mandate. It's an insult. More importantly, it's an insult to the entire system in this country where, through elections, people choose their leader and once chosen, he is the leader for the entire country," she said.

She added that the Election Commission was urged to take the matter seriously, especially with ongoing polls.

"So we have demanded that the Election Commission take it in all its seriousness. The election process is still on, tomorrow you have an election in Tamil Nadu and Phase 1 in Bengal and here's a party which is completely frustrated and in its deep hate towards the Prime Minister," Sitharaman said.

A BJP delegation, comprising Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and others, met with the Election Commission of India on Wednesday, demanding action against Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his remarks calling Prime Minister Narendra Modi "a terrorist."

Parliamentary Minister Kiren Rijiju strongly condemned the remarks by Kharge, calling it "an issue for the entire nation".Stating that no political party has ever touched that level of disrespect as Congress, Rijiju said that the delegation demanded EC to take "strict action" and asked the Congress President to apologise from the country.

"Today, a high-level delegation of the BJP met with the Election Commission. We have met the EC with grief and anger because normally we meet the EC for election process-related work but today our delegation went for the derogatory remarks made by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is not a BJP issue but an issue for the entire nation. Calling the PM of the country a terrorist, you can understand the level of low the Congress has touched in terms of respecting an individual and democracy. I don't think any political party has ever used such insulting remarks against a PM," he stated.

The whole controversy heated up from Mallikarjun Kharge's speech during the last day of the election campaign in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday, where he criticised the AIADMK for aligning with the BJP while making sharp remarks against PM Modi. Kharge allegedly referred to Modi as a "terrorist who does not believe in equality", sparking political backlash.

"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 woman'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. The Congress-DMK alliance will continue to deliver welfare, inclusive growth, quality education and accessible healthcare," Kharge had said while addressing the gathering. (ANI)