Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s sharp retort at a Patna event has turned into a full BJP protest. The BJP will hold protests at its state headquarters across the country today, October 26, and has demanded an apology from Kharge.
Updated: October 26, 2026, 10:05 IST
Quick Read:
- At a Patna event on October 25, Kharge replied to a heckler with the words “Modi ka baap bhi jayega”.
- Union Home Minister Amit Shah said Kharge had “torn apart all norms of decorum”.
- The BJP has announced protests at all state headquarters today, plus a march and effigy burning in Patna.
What happened in Patna
Kharge was speaking at Bapu Sabhagar in Patna on October 25. The event marked the 139th birth anniversary of Shri Krishna Singh, Bihar’s first chief minister. Singh led Bihar in its early years after Independence, and the programme was a tribute to him.
During the speech, a man in the crowd shouted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not go. The shout was aimed at Kharge’s criticism of the government. Kharge shot back at once, in Hindi: “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.” In rough translation, the line means that even Modi’s father would have to go.
Within hours, a video clip of the exchange spread on social media. Supporters of the Congress said Kharge was answering a heckler in the heat of the moment. Critics said the words crossed a line, no matter what triggered them. The remark quickly grew bigger than the event itself.
How the BJP hit back
Amit Shah led the BJP’s response. The Union Home Minister said Kharge had “torn apart all norms of decorum”. His point was simple: a senior opposition leader should watch his words, even when provoked.
BJP chief Nitin Nabin also attacked Kharge. He called the remark a sign of ideological bankruptcy, and described it as the language of thugs. The BJP’s message was that the Congress president had insulted not just the Prime Minister, but the dignity of public debate.
A complaint was also filed at the Kotwali police station in Patna over the remark. The complaint adds a legal angle to a political row. What action the police take next is not yet clear.
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Protests planned for today
The BJP has announced protests at all its state headquarters across India today, October 26. The plan is to turn the remark into a nationwide issue, with party workers gathering at state offices to demand an apology.
In Patna, where the remark was made, the protest will be sharper. The BJP plans a march through the city and the burning of an effigy. Patna is the centre of this row, and the party wants its anger to be seen there first.
Protests of this kind serve two purposes for a party. They put pressure on the other side to apologise, and they keep the issue alive in the news for another day. Whether the Congress responds will decide how long this row runs.
The SIR row behind the remark
The Patna event was not only about the remark. Kharge also used the stage to attack the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls. He demanded that the exercise be halted, and that ballot papers be brought back in place of voting machines.
He also demanded the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. That is a strong demand, and it shows how deep the Congress’s distrust of the voter-roll exercise runs.
So what is SIR, in plain words? It is the Election Commission’s drive to revise voter lists. Officials check the rolls, remove duplicate entries and names of people who have died, and add new voters. The Commission says this clean-up is routine work. Critics fear genuine voters may get cut from the list by mistake. That fear is at the heart of the opposition’s attack.
What happens next
Today’s protests are the next step in this row. If the BJP’s state units turn out in large numbers, the pressure on Kharge will grow. If the Congress chief clarifies his words, the temperature may drop. If he does not, the BJP will likely keep the issue going.
The Patna police complaint is the other track to watch. A complaint does not always become a case, but it keeps the legal option open. And the SIR fight will run on in the background, since the voter-roll debate is far from settled.
For now, one fact is fixed: the BJP’s workers will gather at state headquarters across India today, and Patna will see both a march and an effigy burning over words spoken at a tribute event.
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FAQ
What did Kharge actually say?
At the Patna event, after a heckler said Prime Minister Modi would not go, Kharge replied in Hindi: “Modi ka baap bhi jayega.”
Why is the BJP protesting?
The BJP says the remark insulted the Prime Minister and broke the norms of public debate. It has demanded an apology and announced protests at all state headquarters on October 26.
What is SIR?
SIR stands for Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. It is the Election Commission’s exercise to clean up voter lists by removing duplicates and dead voters and adding new ones. The Congress wants it halted and has demanded the Chief Election Commissioner’s resignation.
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