Congress defends Kharge's Modi remarks as ideological critique, not personal attack

Congress general secretary K.C. Venugopal on Tuesday sought to reframe recent comments by party president Mallikarjun Kharge regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi, characterizing them as a critique of political ideology rather than a personal attack.

Venugopal clarified the nature of Kharge's remarks while speaking to the media, stating that the Congress chief's comments were directed at the philosophical foundations of the Bharatiya Janata Party and its ideological moorings. "Ideologically, of these Bharatiya Janata Party people, the parent is the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, and Kharge ji means that only," Venugopal explained.

The Congress leader's statement underscores the party's effort to position its critiques of the ruling BJP within the framework of ideological and political differences rather than personal disputes. The clarification comes as political tensions remain high between the Congress and the BJP ahead of upcoming elections.

Venugopal's remarks reflect the Congress's strategy of maintaining focus on what it describes as fundamental differences in the ideological direction of the two parties, emphasizing questions about the BJP's connections to organizations like the RSS while steering away from personalizing political discourse.