Mallikarjun Kharge, president of the Congress party, has expressed "sincere regret" over remarks made during an election rally in Kerala that were widely criticised as an insult to the people of Gujarat.
However, he claimed that his statement of saying that 'Gujaratis are fool and illiterate' was misinterpreted.
In a post on X on Wednesday, Kharge said some of his comments from a recent campaign speech in Idukki district had been "deliberately misinterpreted", but still expressed regret over the same. He posted, "Some remarks of mine in a recent election speech in Kerala are being deliberately misinterpreted. Even so, I express my sincere regret. It was never my intention to hurt the sentiments of the people of Gujarat for whom I have always had and will continue to have the highest of respect."
Kharge made the comments against Gujaratis on 5th while addressing a Congress rally in Kerala ahead of the Assembly elections. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he said: "Don't misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever, they are educated. Modi ji, Vijay, you both can fool those who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places, but you can't fool the people of Kerala."
The comments sparked immediate outrage from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and residents of Gujarat, who accused Kharge of elitism and regional prejudice. BJP leaders described the statement as an attack on the dignity of Gujaratis and demanded a full apology. Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi said the statement insulted the six crore people of Gujarat and ignored the state's legacy.
The controversy has gained added political significance as Gujarat prepares for civic polls.