BJP Accuses Mallikarjun Kharge of Insulting President Droupadi Murmu And Former President Ramnath Kovind Over His 'Land Grabbing' Remarks

Raipur: A fresh political storm erupted on Tuesday after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge of insulting President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind through controversial remarks made during a public speech.

BJP Chhattisgarh shared a video clip of Kharge’s speech on its official handle on X (formerly Twitter), in which he is heard saying: “You made Murma ji the President of India, you made Kovind the President of India. You have the right to do so. But why were they appointed as Presidents? To seize our property? To grab our forest lands? To stop our water flow? They are doing these things to snatch away our lands.”

The BJP strongly objected to Kharge’s mispronunciation of President Murmu’s name and accused him of making “serious and baseless allegations” against two of the country’s Dalit Presidents. In a statement posted with the video, BJP Chhattisgarh wrote in Hindi, “Why so much envy towards Murmu ji and Kovind ji? Such serious allegations against the country’s two Dalit Presidents on a public platform... Absolutely shameful!” The party also used the hashtag #LookInTheMirror_Congress, calling on the Congress to introspect.

The remarks have triggered a sharp backlash from BJP leaders, who allege that Kharge’s comments reflect deep-seated disrespect toward the highest constitutional office and marginalized communities. The Congress has not yet issued an official response to the controversy.

With the remarks going viral, political observers believe this could deepen tensions between the two national parties ahead of upcoming state elections, with the BJP positioning itself as the defender of Dalit dignity and constitutional values.