PM Modi must apologise for misleading public on Nehru: Kharge

Rajya Sabha leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge unleashed a blistering critique of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP during a charged debate in the Upper House of Parliament on Monday.

Accusing Modi of “misleading the public by twisting facts”, Kharge alleged that the prime minister had distorted a letter written by India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru to state governments, using it as a political ploy.

Participating in a discussion on the 'Glorious Journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India' in the House, Kharge also accused BJP leaders of indulging in bhakti (devotion) of PM Modi, asserting that it was leading the country towards dictatorship.

The Congress president cited Modi’s speech in which the latter had said there was no elected government from 1947-52, and the Congress had "illegally amended the Constitution".

Kharge said the first amendment was carried out by the Constituent Assembly members, which included BJP founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee, and was undertaken to provide reservation to Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, fix problems related to education and employment, and abolish the zamindari system.

He said the other aspect of the amendment was to stop communal propaganda, and in a letter dated 3 July 1950, Sardar Patel had suggested to Nehru that a Constitutional amendment was the only remedy for this problem.

"Therefore, Nehru wrote a letter to chief ministers. This has been mentioned in PM's speech after twisting facts to defame Nehru, for which he should apologise to the nation. This is my demand. If you twist the facts before the nation and attempt to defame, then you should apologise in this House and the other House (Lok Sabha) and before the people of this country," Kharge said.

“PM Modi lives in the past rather than the present. Instead of listing achievements that have strengthened democracy in the past 11 years, he resorts to twisting history,” Kharge added, taking aim at the BJP’s governance record.

“Instead of addressing today’s challenges and strengthening democracy, PM Modi distracts the nation by twisting Nehru’s words. He owes the people an apology for this deliberate deceit,” Kharge said.

He also mentioned the BJP’s opposition to a caste census, calling it a direct attack on the principles of social justice and reservation. “They (BJP) oppose the caste census because they are inherently against reservation. They rely on jumlas (hollow promises) to deceive the public and shift blame onto us for their failures,” he said, highlighting the growing demand for a caste-based census to address systemic inequalities.

“The caste census is not just a political issue; it is a matter of fairness and equity. The BJP’s opposition lays bare their anti-reservation stance and their discomfort with true social justice,” he argued.

The Congress veteran also turned the spotlight on the BJP’s ideological roots, accusing the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of being historically opposed to the Constitution and democratic values.

“The Constituent Assembly debates reveal how RSS leaders opposed the Constitution, the national flag, and the Ashok Chakra. Today, these very forces are trying to lecture us on Constitutional principles,” Kharge charged, questioning the BJP’s commitment to democracy.

On the issue of women’s reservation, Kharge criticised the BJP for its slow progress, asserting that a Congress-led government would act with urgency.

“We are fully committed to empowering women. The BJP, despite its lofty rhetoric, has consistently delayed implementing women’s reservation. Their reluctance to embrace a caste census further underscores their fear of true empowerment for marginalised communities,” he said.

In a sharp rebuke, Kharge questioned the BJP’s moral authority to speak about India’s Independence. “Those who did not fight for the nation cannot understand the significance of its Independence. BJP leaders lack the moral right to comment on the sacrifices made by Congress leaders and freedom fighters,” he said, directly addressing the BJP’s attempt to appropriate the narrative of India’s freedom struggle.

With PTI inputs