Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday strongly criticised Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge over his 'poisonous snake' remark directed at the BJP and RSS, accusing the party of lowering the level of political discourse.
Addressing an election rally in Patharkandi in Assam's Sribhumi district, Shah said the Congress was reaching abysmal levels and described its rhetoric as harmful to democratic values. He also urged voters to deliver a strong electoral response to the party in the upcoming polls.
Shah targeted the Congress leadership, including Rahul Gandhi, alleging that the party's approach was becoming a threat to the nation. He termed the use of such language as dangerous and reiterated that the BJP government in Assam has already identified infiltrators and would remove them one by one if returned to power.
The controversy stems from remarks made by Kharge during a rally in Kerala, where he likened the BJP and RSS to a 'poisonous snake' and suggested it should be crushed. The statement triggered sharp reactions from BJP leaders.
BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala accused Kharge of making inflammatory comments and demanded action from the Election Commission. He also criticised the Congress for what he described as crossing a new low in political rhetoric.
The row comes amid another controversy involving Kharge's remarks about Gujaratis during campaigning in Kerala, which drew strong reactions from BJP leaders.
Responding to those comments, Shah said that the Congress would face public backlash for criticising a state associated with figures such as Dayanand Saraswati, Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Vikram Sarabhai, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel also condemned the remarks, calling them offensive and seeking an apology from the Congress leader. The exchange has intensified political tensions ahead of the elections, with both parties trading sharp accusations.