'Impose discipline on your leaders': Kharge writes to PM Modi on 'violent' statements against Rahul Gandhi

NEW DELHI: Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to "impose discipline and decorum" on the leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party ( BJP ) and alliance reasons amid the "highly objectionable, violent and rude statements" against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi .

Kharge, who shared the copy of the letter on X, started with wishing PM Modi on his birthday and then wrote about the recent statements made against Rahul Gandhi by Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad .

In the letter Kharge said: "You would be aware that a series of highly objectionable, violent and rude statements are being made against the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Shri Rahul Gandhi."

Terming the "violent language" used by the leaders of BJP and its alliance parties, Kharge said the trend is "dangerous for the future".

आदरणीय प्रधानमंत्री @narendramodi जी को मेरा पत्र —

सबसे पहले मैं आपको जन्मदिन की हार्दिक बधाई देता हूं।

इसके साथ ही ऐसे मुद्दे पर आपका ध्यान आकृष्ट कराना चाहता हूं जो सीधे लोकतंत्र और संविधान से जुड़ा हुआ है।

आप अवगत होंगे कि लोक सभा में नेता प्रतिपक्ष श्री राहुल गांधी के… pic.twitter.com/dpfzm3v8mK

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) September 17, 2024

"The world is shocked that the Minister of State for Railways in the Central Government, a minister from BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh, is calling the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha "number one terrorist". An MLA from an alliance party in your government in Maharashtra is announcing a reward of Rs 11 lakh to the person who "cuts off the tongue" of the Leader of the Opposition. A BJP leader and former MLA in Delhi is threatening to make her "fate like Dadi"," he wrote.

"Indian culture is known throughout the world for non-violence, harmony and love. Our heroes established these points as standards in politics. Gandhiji had made these standards an important part of politics during the British rule itself. After independence, there has been a long history of respectful agreements between the ruling party and the opposition in the parliamentary arena. This worked to enhance the prestige of Indian democracy," Kharge said.

"Crores of Congress workers and leaders are very agitated and worried about this matter. Because due to such hate-mongering forces, Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi had to sacrifice their lives. This political behavior of the ruling party is the most rude example in democratic history," the letter read.

Asking PM Modi to "impose discipline and decorum" on his leaders, Kharge said, "Instruct them to behave properly. Strict legal action should be taken for such statements so that Indian politics can be prevented from becoming degenerate. Nothing untoward should happen."

"I trust that you will take the required action to ensure that these leaders immediately stop making violent statements," he said.

Kharge's letter to PM Modi comes days after Union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu called Rahul Gandhi "number one terrorist" and "biggest enemy of India".

Sanjay Gaikwad, an MLA of Shiv Sena which is an ally of BJP in both Maharashtra and the Centre, also in a controversial statement, offered Rs 11 lakh to anyone who "chopped off" Rahul Gandhi's tongue.

The controversial statements were made after Rahul Gandhi kicked off a political storm with his remarks on Sikhs during an event in the United States.