The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged protests in several parts of the country over a controversial remark attributed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge concerning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father. Demanding an apology from Kharge, BJP workers held demonstrations in Delhi, Ranchi and Jaipur. In the national capital, police detained around 200 party leaders and workers, including Delhi BJP president Harsh Malhotra, during a protest march towards Kharge’s residence. The demonstrations added to the ongoing political confrontation between the BJP and the Congress, with ruling party leaders accusing the opposition of crossing the limits of political discourse. The Congress president’s reported remarks have triggered criticism from BJP leaders, who are insisting on a public apology.

BJP Workers March Towards Kharge’s Residence in Delhi
On Monday, Delhi BJP workers assembled near Sena Bhawan before marching towards Kharge’s residence on Rajaji Marg. The demonstration was led by Malhotra in the presence of BJP Delhi in-charge Vinay Sahasrabuddhe. Raising slogans against the Congress president, the protesters attempted to proceed towards the residence but were stopped by police barricades near the Kushak Road turn. When some demonstrators tried to move forward, police intervened and detained around 200 participants. Those detained, including Malhotra, were taken by buses to Mandir Marg police station. The action came as security arrangements were strengthened to prevent the protest from reaching its intended destination.

BJP Demands Apology, Warns of Continued Agitation
Malhotra criticised Kharge’s reported remarks and demanded an apology, arguing that the Prime Minister represents the country and that public statements should maintain a degree of decorum despite political differences. He alleged that Congress leaders were making personal remarks out of frustration over electoral setbacks. Sahasrabuddhe also criticised the comments, saying that respect for the Prime Minister was linked to respect for the nation. Other Delhi BJP leaders, including Rajesh Bhatia and Mohan Lal Gihara, joined the criticism. Santosh Ojha, who heads the party’s Purvanchal Morcha in Delhi, said the remarks had hurt sentiments among sections of the Purvanchali community. BJP leaders warned that protests would continue until Kharge apologised.

Demonstrations in Ranchi and Jaipur
The protests extended beyond Delhi, with BJP workers organising demonstrations in Ranchi and Jaipur. In Jharkhand’s capital, the BJP’s metropolitan unit surrounded the Congress state office near Shaheed Chowk to register its opposition to Kharge’s remarks. Police erected barricades and deployed personnel to prevent confrontations between supporters of the two parties. In Jaipur, BJP Yuva Morcha workers attempted to surround the Congress state office under the leadership of state president Shankar Gaura. Protesters climbed onto barricades, prompting police to intervene and use limited force to disperse them. The demonstrators also burnt an effigy of Kharge. The protests underscored the widening political dispute, although the Congress’s response to the nationwide demonstrations was not included in the available information.