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The Election Commission of India (ECI) has taken serious note of remarks made by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge in which he allegedly referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist", issuing a notice seeking his explanation within 24 hours.
According to sources, the poll body viewed the comments as potentially violative of the Model Code of Conduct, particularly provisions relating to maintaining decorum and avoiding inflammatory or derogatory language during the election period.
The ECI notice came after a delegation of the BJP met the ECI on Wednesday to lodge a strong protest against Kharge’s remarks about PM Modi, and to demand exemplary action to serve as a "deterrent" for others who try to breach political red lines.
The high-level BJP delegation comprised Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju, Nirmala Sitharaman and Arjun Ram Meghwal, and BJP national General Secretary Arun Singh, who all urged the Election Commission to intervene and take action against "venomous remarks" by the Congress chief.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Rijiju, while speaking to the media, said the BJP delegation conveyed the party’s deep sorrow and anger over the abominable language used by Congress President against the Prime Minister and called for taking immediate cognisance.
"For Kharge to call PM Modi a 'terrorist' is not just a remark but a grave insult to the entire nation. Such disgraceful conduct cannot be normalised," he said.
The controversy arose on Tuesday when Kharge, at a press conference in Chennai, responding to a question, used the term “terrorist” in reference to the Prime Minister. However, he later clarified that his statement had been "misinterpreted".
"I did not mean that Modi is a terrorist. What I meant was that people are being terrorised, and institutions and agencies are being used to intimidate them," Kharge had said, adding that his remarks were intended to criticise what he described as an atmosphere of fear under the current government.
He further alleged that key institutions, including investigative agencies, were functioning under political pressure, which, according to him, was weakening democratic norms.
The remarks triggered a sharp political backlash, with leaders from the BJP, including Union Ministers and Members of Parliament, launching a strong attack on Kharge and the Congress.
Several BJP leaders termed the comment "irresponsible" and "unacceptable", demanding an apology and accusing the Congress leadership of lowering the level of political discourse.