‘Clarify your intentions for Gandhi, Patel and Nehru too’: Political ...
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge‘s sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has triggered a fierce backlash from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its leaders. Speaking at a poll rally in election-bound Kerala, Kharge claimed the two leaders could ‘fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or other places’ but not the ‘clever and educated’ people of Kerala.The remark, aimed at accusing BJP and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) of centralising power and misleading voters, quickly snowballed into a national controversy, with accusations of regional division flying thick and fast.
While addressing the crowd in Kerala on April 5 (Sunday), Kharge drew a stark contrast between ‘Keralites’ and residents of Gujarat. “Don’t misguide the people of Kerala. They are very clever, they are educated. Modi ji, Vijay (Pinarayi Vijayan), you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or in other places, but you can’t fool Kerala people,” he declared. He accused both leaders of seeking to hoard power and urged Kerala’s voter- set to head to the polls on April 9 (Thursday), with results on May 4 (Monday)- not to fall for their tactics.
#WATCH | Idukki, Keralam: Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge says, "Don't misguide the people of Keralam. They are very clever, they are educated. Modi ji, Vijay (Pinarayi Vijayan), you both can fool people who are illiterate in Gujarat or in other places, but you… pic.twitter.com/hXyMWS1qg3
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2026
The comments came amid heightened election rhetoric in Kerala, where Congress is positioning itself against the ruling Left and the rising BJP. Mallikarjun Kharge framed it as a defense of Kerala’s high literacy and political awareness, but critics seized on the phrasing as a direct insult to Gujarat’s 6 crore people.
BJP’s immediate counterattack: Trivedi’s Scathing Rebuttal
BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi led the charge at a press conference, slamming Kharge’s words as a deliberate ploy to divide India. “If you find the people of Gujarat and other regions less intelligent, then clarify your intentions about Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and all your Chief Ministers and other big leaders of North India,” Trivedi retorted.
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He linked the remark to Congress’s alleged history of regionalism, invoking slogans like “Bharat tere tukde honge, Inshallah.” Trivedi cited past Congress figures- such as P Chidambaram’s comments on North-South disparities, Karnataka’s finance minister on tax separation and Telangana’s CM on Biharis’ DNA- to paint Kharge’s statement as part of a pattern. BJP MP praised Keralites’ “enlightenment,” pointing to BJP’s recent municipal poll win in Thiruvananthapuram after 45 years of Left rule and early recognition of ‘love jihad’ in the state. “The Congress party has never done justice to the enlightened people of Keralam,” Trivedi concluded.
Gujarat CM condemns Kharge’s remark: ‘Insult to Mahatma Gandhi’s land
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel issued a strongly worded statement, calling Kharge’s remarks “extremely objectionable and unfortunate.” He highlighted the insult to Gujarat‘s 6 crore residents and the “sacred land of Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel,” which has led in nation-building and unity. Patel accused Congress of “narrow-minded thinking” born from insecurity over PM Modi’s development politics and BJP’s popularity. “The aware public of Gujarat knows how to respond…and it is certain that in the coming times, the people of Kerala will also reject the Congress and support the BJP’s politics of development,” he added.
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BJP outrage: Leaders from Bihar and beyond weigh in
The backlash spread nationwide. Bihar Minister Ram Kripal Yadav mocked Kharge as an “educated scholar and intellectual” now labeling fellow Indians “illiterate and stupid,” predicting a grim future for Congress. BJP National President Nitin Nabin decried the “character of disrespecting others,” noting Gandhi and Patel’s Gujarati roots and Modi’s global stature. “The states in which you didn’t get into power, you called them illiterate. This shows your petty mindset,” Nitin Nabin said, urging voters to punish such statements.
These responses framed Kharge’s words not just as an election jab but as an attack on national unity, invoking iconic leaders to rally support.
With Kerala voting on April 9, the controversy amplifies existing divides. Kerala boasts near-100 per cent literacy and a history of astute voting, often rejecting national trends. BJP has made inroads, capitalising on anti-Left fatigue, while Congress fights to reclaim ground. Kharge’s rally aimed to energise United Democratic Front (UDF) supporters by portraying BJP and LDF as manipulative outsiders. Instead, it handed opponents ammunition to portray Congress as elitist and divisive, potentially alienating voters in Kerala and beyond.
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