Kharge's 'Baap' Remark Was Metaphorical, Says Congress Leader Chowdhury

Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Tuesday moved to defuse controversy surrounding remarks made by party president Mallikarjun Kharge about the Prime Minister, characterizing the comment as metaphorical rather than offensive.

Chowdhury stated that Kharge's use of the term "baap"—which translates literally as "father"—was grounded in local linguistic convention and should not be interpreted at face value. The Congress leader emphasized that such expressions are commonly used in regional Indian discourse and carry meanings beyond their literal translations.

The defence came amid criticism over Kharge's comment, which had sparked political reactions. Chowdhury's intervention sought to reframe the narrative by highlighting the cultural and linguistic context in which the remark was made, suggesting that detractors had misunderstood or misrepresented the party chief's intent.

The incident underscores the ongoing tensions between the Congress and the ruling establishment, with both sides engaged in heated political rhetoric ahead of key electoral contests in India.

Photo: Mallikarjun Kharge taking charge as Union Railway Minister, New Delhi, June 2013. Ministry of Railways, Government of India, via Wikimedia Commons (GODL-India).