Political Storm Erupts as Congress Chief Clarifies “Terrorist” Remark Amid Ongoing War of Words with BJP

Political Storm Erupts as Congress Chief Clarifies “Terrorist” Remark Amid Ongoing War of Words with BJP

The political divide over national security and terror allegations has also extended to specific military actions and investigations.

Raman Media Network Political Desk
New Delhi | April 21, 2026

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge sparked a massive political controversy on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, when he referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a “terrorist” during a press conference in Chennai. Kharge made the initial comment while questioning the AIADMK’s decision to partner with the BJP for the Tamil Nadu elections, suggesting that the Prime Minister’s party does not believe in equality or justice.

Following a reporter’s request for context, the Congress chief clarified that he never meant to call the Prime Minister a terrorist but intended to say that Modi is “terrorising” people and political parties through the use of central institutions like the ED, I-T, and CBI.

The BJP responded swiftly and sharply, with spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari labeling the Congress an “Urban Naxal” party and accusing it of using venomous rhetoric under the influence of anti-national forces. Union Minister Piyush Goyal also condemned the remarks, describing them as a “downright insult” to a democratically elected leader and demanding an apology from Rahul Gandhi and MK Stalin. Goyal further argued that such personal attacks on the Prime Minister humiliate 140 crore Indians and will not reverse the electoral fate of the Congress-DMK alliance.

This latest exchange is part of a long-standing pattern of high-stakes rhetoric between the two parties regarding allegations of terrorism. In October 2024, Kharge had previously described the BJP as a “group of terrorists” responsible for lynchings and crimes against tribals and lower castes. At that time, Kharge was reacting to the Prime Minister’s own allegations that the Congress was controlled by “Urban Naxals”. These previous reports also highlighted various instances where BJP leaders were accused of inciting violence or using intimidation for political gains.

The political divide over national security and terror allegations has also extended to specific military actions and investigations. In July 2025, senior Congress leader P. Chidambaram questioned the government’s transparency regarding the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. Chidambaram suggested the attackers could be “homegrown” rather than from Pakistan, leading the BJP to accuse him of undermining national security and giving a “clean chit” to Pakistan.

These comments preceded a parliamentary debate on “Operation Sindoor,” the military response India launched on May 7, 2025, to target infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir.