Karnataka polls: Kharge regrets his 'poisonous snake' remark on Modi
Within hours of courting controversy by reportedly comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a “poisonous snake”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday (April 27) regretted his comment while clarifying that he meant the ideology of RSS-BJP was “poisonous”.
Talking to a news agency, Kharge said, “If my statement has hurt anyone, if it was misconstrued and distressed anyone, I will express special regret for it.”
However, at the same time, he said, “We have ideological differences. RSS-BJP’s ideology is poisonous. But they compared it to Prime Minister and claimed that I commented about him. It was never my intention to speak about any person or hurt anyone.” His remarks came ahead of PM Modi’s visit to Karnataka on Saturday.
Also read: Amit Shah warns of riots if Congress wins Karnataka Assembly election
#KarnatakaAssemblyElections2023 | PM Modi is like a ‘poisonous snake’, you might think it’s poison or not. If you lick it, you’re dead…: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge in Kalaburagi pic.twitter.com/Bqi7zVFnO9
— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023
Earlier, addressing a public meeting at Kalaburagi in the poll-bound state, Kharge said, “PM Modi is like a poisonous snake, you might think it’s poison or not. If you lick it, you’re dead.” The party recently stepped up its attack on the incumbent BJP government. The party had even filed a complaint against Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks that there would be riots in the state if Congress came to power.
Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh also tweeted that while their party was focused on living up to its promises, the BJP was focused on polarisation, comparing recent statements made by the saffron party alongside guarantees offered by the grand old party in their poll manifesto.
#Correction | If my statement has hurt anyone, if it was misconstrued and distressed anyone, I will express special regret for it: Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge
(file pic) pic.twitter.com/XfjxK66B4c
— ANI (@ANI) April 27, 2023
On the other hand, the BJP hit back at the Congress, stating that Kharge’s remark against Modi was worse than Sonia Gandhi’s ‘maut ka saudagar’ jibe at the prime minister. “Congress made Mallikarjun Kharge the party president but nobody considers him that, so he thought of giving a statement which is worse than that given by Sonia Gandhi,” said Union minister Anurag Thakur.
Now Congress Presidnet Kharge calls Prime Minister Modi ‘poisonous snake’…
What started with Sonia Gandhi’s ‘maut ka saudagar’, and we know how it ended, the Congress continues to plummet to new depths.
The desperation shows Congress is losing ground in Karnataka and knows it. pic.twitter.com/75FECizSOW
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) April 27, 2023
Also read: Amit Shah issuing threats by linking Congress win with riots: Jairam
BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya lashed out at the Congress president and said the party is stooping to a new low every day as it is losing ground in Karnataka. He tweeted, “Now Congress President Kharge calls Prime Minister Modi ‘poisonous snake’. What started with Sonia Gandhi’s ‘maut ka saudagar’, and we know how it ended, the Congress continues to plummet to new depths. The desperation shows Congress is losing ground in Karnataka and knows it.”
