BJP slams Priyank Kharge over ‘no talent in Assam’ remark, asks if talent means snatching biscuits meant for Rahul Gandhi’s dog

BJP slams Priyank Kharge over his racist remarks on Assam and Gujarat.
Image via ET

The racist remarks by Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, son of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, regarding the “talent of Assamese people” prompted a strong response from the Bharatiya Janata Party. Kharge, who was already in hot water for his statement, faced condemnation from the Assam BJP unit which pointed out his dynastic lineage that contributed to his political rise despite their poor performance in relation to the development of Kalaburagi district.

“If talent means boot-licking the boss and snatching biscuits meant for Rahul Gandhi’s pet, then thank God the people of Assam are talentless. Mr Junior Kharge, apart from being born as Senior Kharge’s son, do you possess any actual skill,” the saffron party asked while pointing to the controversial incident.

The party accused Priyank and his father of repeatedly insulting Assam, asserting that the state’s Congress unit never countered them, including Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Gaurav Gagoi, who appears to have consumed “industrial fevicol” when it comes to taking a stand against the tirade of his party members.

Notably, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma already revealed that the Congress leaders feared Gandhi so much that they ate biscuits from the same plate that had served biscuits to Rahul Gandhi’s dog “Pidi,” in an interview in 2021, disclosing how Congress leaders were habituated to such humiliations meted out to them by the Gandhi family.

Sarma noted that several Congress leaders, including former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi, had visited Rahul Gandhi to apprise him of the political developments in the state before the 2016 assembly elections when the infamous instance transpired.

In a similar incident in 2024, Rahul Gandhi served biscuits which were rejected by a dog, to a party worker. The incident was captured on camera.

Assam BJP then posted figures about the per capita income of regions in South India which is less than the national average, in a subsequent tweet. They highlighted that Kalburgi district, recognized as a stronghold of the Kalburgi family, falls within this category. “After five decades of the Kharge dynasty’s ‘hard work’ their own district Kalaburagi stands tall today as the poorest district in South India, with a per capita income lower than the national average,” the party outlined.

The party slammed the father-son duo and wrote, “Such remarkable leadership that they couldn’t uplift their own home, yet they dare to lecture others about governance and development.” It further brought up a saying, “Look at your own house before throwing stones at others” and added. “Maybe the Kharges should first fix their own backyard before preaching to states like Gujarat or Assam about progress.”

“Why are semiconductor industries going to Assam and Gujarat when they want to come to Bengaluru? I have raised this issue before. All the investment that is coming to Karnataka, is being arm-twisted by the central government to go to Gujarat. What is there in Gujarat? Is there talent there? What is there in Assam? Is there talent there? When industrialists are giving their applications that they would like to come to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu why are they being directed to Gujarat? Let the Centre explain,” Priyank alleged while accusing the Modi government of discriminatory policies against the southern states.

However, he received severe backlash for his deeply divisive comments. He had already been criticized by other ministers from Assam.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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