 on Tuesday demanded an apology from Mallikarjun Kharge over his alleged remarks about people of Gujarat){kind=link}
Ravi Shankar Prasad seeks apology from Mallikarjun Kharge over controversial comment
April 7, 2026: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday demanded an apology from Mallikarjun Kharge over his alleged remarks about people of Gujarat and other states, calling the statement “shameless and demeaning.” Addressing a press conference, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad also asked Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to clarify their stance on the controversy.
The row stems from Kharge’s remarks at a rally in Idukki, where he reportedly said Kerala’s people are “educated and clever” and cannot be misled, unlike those in Gujarat and some other regions. The BJP criticised the comment as insulting and divisive, with Prasad questioning whether Kharge should continue as Congress president and urging Rahul Gandhi to publicly condemn the statement.
Highlighting Gujarat’s progress, Prasad noted that the state’s literacy rate stands at around 82% and said such remarks undermine the dignity of citizens. He demanded that Kharge apologise not only to Gujarat but also to people in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, calling the comment unbecoming of a national leader. The controversy has further intensified the political battle between the BJP and Congress ahead of key elections.