The BJP on Tuesday trained its guns on Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, slamming his recent remarks on President Droupadi Murmu and her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind as "objectionable" and demanding his apology for the same.
Kharge, while speaking at a public rally in Chhattisgarh's Raipur on Monday, had mispronounced the names of President Murmu and her predecessor Kovind but quickly corrected himself.
"The BJP always speaks about making (Droupadi) Murmu ji and (Ram Nath) Kovind ji presidents of the country but did the party do all this to snatch our assets, forests, water and land," the Congress President said.
Slamming his remarks as "objectionable" BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged the Congress president's statements reflect the party's "anti-Dalit, anti-Adivasi and anti-Constitution" mindset.
"You (Kharge) talk big - you called Ram Nath Kovind ji 'covid'...You call 'Murma ji' and then called her (President Droupadi Murmu) a land mafia, alleging that she has become President to snatch away assets, forests," he charged.
Bhatia demanded that Kharge apologise for making "distasteful and derogatory" remarks against Murmu and Kovind, alleging the Congress president did not only insult them but also hurt the sentiments of Adivasi and Dalit community members with his comments.
He also demanded a public apology from the Congress for Kharge's remarks and asked the Congress workers to make him resign from the post of party president .
"If the Congress and Mallikarjun Kharge do not apologise, you will see every citizen (of the country) expressing their anger. This mistake will cost Congress dearly," Bhatia said.
Calling Kharge a "remote-controlled" national president of the Congress, the BJP spokesperson alleged that he made "objectionable comments" at the behest of party leader Rahul Gandhi.
"Entire India, Adivasi society, Dalit society and women are condemning Mallikarjun Kharge and the Congress," he added.
Responding to the allegations, Congress leader Pawan Khera said it reflected the "regressive mindset" of the BJP and accused it of "hypocrisy" and "exploiting the land and resources" of the tribal population.
"This reflects BJP's deeply regressive mindset... Similarly, they present the President as a symbol, while on the ground, they exploit tribal communities, cutting thousands of trees in Chhattisgarh, and taking away their land, forests, and water," he told IANS.
"BJP’s ideology is riddled with hypocrisy. On one hand, they claim to champion the rights of tribal communities, but on the other, they exploit their land and resources without hesitation. They cut down forests, displace indigenous people, and rob them of their jal, jungle, and zameen. And when questioned, they deflect by pointing to the symbolic elevation of a Tribal individual as President, as if tokenism can erase systemic exploitation," the Congress leader said in a post on X.
(With inputs from PTI, IANS)