
BJP accuses Mallikarjun Kharge of using 'objectionable' words against Prez Droupadi Murmu and Ram Nath Kovind
BJP
on Tuesday accused
Congress
president
Mallikarjun Kharge
of insulting President
Droupadi Murmu
and her predecessor
Ram Nath Kovind
by using certain "objectionable" words against them, and demanded a
public apology
from him and his party.
This came a day after Kharge, while speaking at an event in Chhattisgarh, reportedly mispronounced the names of President Murmu and her predecessor Kovind but quickly corrected himself.
Addressing a public rally in Raipur on Monday, the Congress president also said that "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".
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Here's how to re-clean your gas burner in 1 minute!
The Travel Breeze
Undo
At a press conference here, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia charged that Kharge used "objectionable words for President Droupadi Murmu ji and former President Ram Nath Kovind ji".
This shows the "
anti-Dalit
,
anti-Adivasi
and anti-Constitution" mindset of the Congress in its DNA, he charged.
Live Events
"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.
There was no immediate reaction from the Congress to the BJP charge.
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.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Economic Times
25 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Bihar polls: INDIA bloc leaders to meet in Delhi next week, says Farooq Abdullah
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said the Congress has convened a meeting of the opposition leaders in New Delhi on August 7 to deliberate on the Bihar Assembly elections likely to be held in October-November. The National Conference president also expressed confidence over the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. "We have faith in the one who is the master of all. We will get our rights," he said. Responding to a question on Rahul Gandhi claiming that his party has an "atom bomb" of an evidence to prove "vote chori" by the Election Commission for the the BJP, Abdullah stated the Congress leader "has said that they have made such an arrangement that they will win the Bihar elections". "I am going to meet him. All the leaders (of INDIA bloc) have been called for a meeting on August 7 and I will find out (the truth)," he told reporters here. Gandhi claimed on Friday that his party has an "atom bomb" of an evidence to prove "vote chori" by the Election Commission for the BJP and said that when it explodes the poll panel will have no place to hide anywhere in the country. The former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir reached here this afternoon to express condolences to party's provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta on the death of his wife and the family of an acquaintance, who died last month. When asked why his party is not supporting the Congress, which has announced chain hunger strike from August 9 to 21 for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the National Conference is already fighting for public cause. "We are fighting for it (restoration of statehood). When did we stop talking? Whenever (chief minister) Omar Abdullah met the prime minister (Narendra Modi), he raised this issue with him," said Abdullah. "We have faith in the one who is the master of all. We will get our rights," he added. Asked about his demand from Prime Minister Modi since Parliament is in session, the National Conference president said that people, who could not fill four seats of the Rajya Sabha and two vacant assembly seats -- Nagrota in Jammu and Budgam in Kashmir -- since the formation of the Jammu and Kashmir government than what is expected of them. On the BJP's claim about massive development post abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said, "I will not say anything. Whatever the BJP says, it keeps on saying." "(US President Donald) Trump also keeps on shouting that I got peace done. Today they have imposed 25 per cent tariff on us and and have also imposed a penalty. The material for our destruction is being prepared. All our industrialists are running away. They will work from Dubai. Our people are already jobless and we will have more unemployment," he added. Highlighting that some countries supported Trump for a Nobel Prize, the National Conference president said, "We do not know the name of some of these (nations). What would have happened if we had also supported him? He is the master of the world." "Believe it or not, it is destruction for us, while the countries like Bangladesh and Cambodia are going to be benefitted. They will be happy because India is the major supplier and it will have to sit outside," he added. Abdullah refused to give a direct reply on former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's claim that there was lot of pressure on her to name Prime Minister Modi in the Malegaon blast case. "Don't ask me such questions. We are already in lot of trouble. If we get out of this trouble, then we will see," he said. Nearly 17 years after the Malegaon blast claimed six lives, a special court in Mumbai on Thursday acquitted all seven accused, including Thakur and Lieutenant Colonel Prasad Purohit, noting that there was "no reliable and cogent evidence" against them.


Time of India
28 minutes ago
- Time of India
Trump's tariff reset: From Canada to Laos, even dealmakers face higher costs as legal fight brews; US allies & rivals hit with steep import taxes
US President Donald Trump's sweeping new tariff regime, set to take effect August 7, has triggered a wave of economic disruption across the globe, from low-income nations like Laos and Algeria to wealthy trade partners such as Canada and Switzerland. Under the new policy, countries face steep new import duties unless they agree to revised trade terms with the US. Trump has framed the plan as a campaign for "fairness" under the slogan of "Liberation Day," invoking a 1977 law to declare the trade deficit a national emergency and bypass Congress. But legal and economic blowback is mounting, with US courts weighing challenges and allies questioning Washington's reliability, AP reported. 'Everybody's a loser': Experts flag fallout "In many respects, everybody's a loser here," said Barry Appleton, co-director of the Center for International Law at New York Law School. "The U.S. consumer's a big loser," added Alan Wolff, a former WTO deputy director-general and trade official. Even countries that struck deals to reduce their tariff exposure are still facing steeper import duties than before. The UK agreed to raise tariffs on its exports to the US from 1.3% to 10%, despite the US running a trade surplus with it for nearly two decades. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Your Finger Shape Says a Lot About Your Personality, Read Now Tips and Tricks Undo The EU and Japan accepted 15% tariffs, lower than the threatened rates but still significantly higher than last year's levels. Steep tariffs for those resisting Trump's demands Nations that refused to negotiate fared far worse. Laos and Algeria, despite low per capita incomes, now face tariffs of 40% and 30% respectively. Brazil was slapped with a 50% levy, reportedly over its treatment of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Canada drew a 35% tariff, tied in part to its position on Palestinian statehood. Even Switzerland, which did not reach an agreement, was hit with a 39% import tax, exceeding the originally announced 31%. "The Swiss probably wish that they had camped in Washington to make a deal," said Wolff, now a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics. Legal battle escalates as costs rise for US consumers Five US businesses and 12 states have filed lawsuits against the new tariffs, arguing that Trump overstepped his authority. In May, the US Court of International Trade sided with plaintiffs, blocking the tariffs, though collections continue during the appeal process. Economists at Goldman Sachs estimate that US businesses and consumers are absorbing most of the cost. Companies including Walmart, Nike, Best Buy and Procter & Gamble have all raised prices in response. "This is a consumption tax, so it disproportionately affects those with lower incomes," said Appleton. "Your appliances are going to go up. Your TV and electronics are going to go up. Your video game devices, consoles are going to go up." According to Yale University's Budget Lab, the average US tariff has jumped from 2.5% at the start of 2025 to 18.3%, the highest since 1934. The lab estimates this will cost the average US household $2,400 annually. Winners still end up paying more Even countries that reached deals to avoid Trump's harshest penalties are still absorbing high tariffs. Taiwan saw its rate lowered from 32% to 20%, and Angola's from 32% to 15% — but both were paying less than 2% before the new policy. Lesotho, one of the poorest nations affected, saw its tariff reduced from 50% to 15%, though economists say the damage may already be done. "He [Trump] wants to do it because he found an undervalued franchise -- not because the market says you need to do a deal," said Wolff, referring to Trump's transactional approach to global trade. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . Discover stories of India's leading eco-innovators at Ecopreneur Honours 2025


News18
34 minutes ago
- News18
EC rebuts Rahul Gandhis Lok Sabha poll rigged claim
Last Updated: New Delhi, Aug 2 (PTI) The Election Commission on Saturday rejected claims of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi that the 2024 Lok polls were rigged, saying it appears that these 'unfounded allegations" are intended to exert undue pressure on the election machinery and even threaten poll officials. Addressing a Congress event here, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha cited data collected by the Congress from an assembly constituency in Karnataka where the party checked the photographs and names of electors physically and reportedly found out that 1.5 lakh votes were 'fake" out of a total of 6.5 lakh voters. 'The election system in India is dead," he said, adding that the Lok Sabha elections were rigged. In a fact-check post on X, the poll authority said Gandhi's statements are 'misleading and baseless." It said during the preparation of the electoral roll for LS-2024, both the Draft and Final Electoral lists were shared with all political parties, including the Congress, and were appealable under provisions of the Representation of the People Act. 'Hardly any appeals were filed across all 36 states and Union territories by the Indian National Congress," it said. The poll body pointed out that in the 2024 parliamentary polls, only eight election petitions were filed by the losing Congress candidates under Section 80 of the RP Act 1951. 'Shri Rahul Gandhi has repeatedly made unsubstantiated and misleading allegations, including baseless claims such as 'vote chori', and has threatened lakhs and lakhs of hardworking election officials across the country. 'It appears that these unfounded allegations are intended to discredit their impartial and transparent hard work, attempt to exert undue pressure on the election machinery, and even threaten them without even filing an appeal against the electoral roll or even an election petition against the conduct of elections as per law," it said. The EC said it had extended an invitation to Gandhi for an interaction on June 12, 2025, 'there has been no response from him so far." PTI NAB RT RT view comments First Published: August 02, 2025, 22:15 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.