'Language of hatred has blinded...': FM Sitharaman hits back at Kharge

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday hit back at Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge after he referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as a "terrorist". Sitharaman called the remarks "atrocious" and "most condemnable".

"Atrocious! The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Rajya Sabha, Shri. @kharge ji of @INCIndia calls PM @narendramodi a terrorist! Decades in politics doesn’t matter when you have to serve a dynasty. Language of hate blinds reason and propriety. Another low for the Congress party," she wrote on X.

In another post, her office said that "even decades of experience in politics become utterly useless when the situation demands serving a family's politics." "The language of hatred has blinded both wisdom and respect. This is another low moment for the Congress party."

Kharge had made the remark while addressing a press conference in Chennai alongside AICC General Secretary (Organisation) KC Venugopal. He accused the prime minister of "terrorising" political parties and people by misusing government machinery and central agencies to stifle the opposition.

When pressed by reporters, Kharge clarified that he did not mean the term literally. "He is terrorising people and political parties. I never said he is a terrorist (in the literal sense). Terrorising this... he is misusing his power and government machinery and abusing, malingering opposition parties," he said.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal also criticised Kharge, saying: "I feel ashamed that the Congress and the DMK have stooped so low that they are insulting the Prime Minister who is democratically elected by the people of India, by calling him a terrorist."

Goyal added that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and DMK leader MK Stalin "must apologise for this downright insult to the Prime Minister as well as the people of India who have voted him in."

He said the statement had "humiliated 140 crore Indians, including our 8 crore Tamil brothers and sisters," and added: "Such personal attacks against the PM won't reverse their electoral fate that has already been sealed by the anger of the people who have suffered their misrule."