In a sharp exchange of words, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday denounced Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge for his controversial remark about Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following Kharge’s brief health scare during a poll rally. Kharge, after nearly fainting on stage, asserted that he wouldn’t die until PM Modi is ousted from power.
Kharge, 83, experienced dizziness while addressing the public, pausing briefly before resuming his speech. “I am not going to die so early. I will stay alive till PM Modi is removed from power,” Kharge said, prompting a wave of reactions from political opponents.
Responding to this, Amit Shah took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), labeling Kharge’s statement as “distasteful” and “disgraceful.” Shah accused Kharge of dragging PM Modi into his personal health matters out of political spite. “In a bitter display of spite, he unnecessarily dragged PM Modi into his personal health matters by saying that he would die only after removing PM Modi from power,” Shah posted on X.
Shah added that the statement revealed the Congress’s deep-seated fear and hatred towards Modi. “As for the health of Mr. Kharge Ji, Modi Ji prays, I pray and we all pray that he lives a long, healthy life,” Shah said, expressing his hopes that Kharge would witness India’s transformation into a developed nation by 2047.
After the rally, Kharge visited Kathua District Hospital for a medical evaluation, where doctors diagnosed him with a syncopal attack (fainting spell) due to increased sweating and dizziness. Kharge later apologized for the brief halt in his speech, but his comments continued to stir controversy within political circles.
The incident highlights the escalating tension between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as election campaigning intensifies.
This clash is the latest in a series of heated political exchanges between Congress and BJP leaders as they gear up for forthcoming electoral battles, where personal and political remarks are increasingly becoming the focus of public discourse.