Blistering Attack : Our people fought for the country’s independence. You fought too? Tell me, which BJP person fought for this country’s independence? Which RSS person fought for this country’s independence? And you lecture us about patriotism? – Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress president, Slams BJP , RSS

Picture : ANI/x

Congress president Mallikarjun Khargehas  dubbed the Bharatiya Janata Party ‘anti-religion’, citing an alleged ‘purification’ ritual following his speech in Uttarakhand and questioned the ruling party’s ‘selective interpretation of religious values’.

As reported by PTI, Addressing a public meeting in South Goa, Kharge attacked the BJP over its claims of patriotism, challenging its leadership to identify party members who fought for India’s independence.

The Congress chief’s remarks have come amid a series of attacks between the ruling BJP and Congress in Goa over issues, including patriotism, religion, defections, land ownership and the recent controversy surrounding Vande Mataram.

“You (BJP) are anti-religion because when a person like me goes to Uttarakhand and gives a speech in front of lakhs of people, two days later you conduct a purification ceremony at the building,” he said.

जब मैं पहली बार MLA बना था, तब अमित शाह बच्चे थे और आज हमें देशभक्ति सिखा रहे हैं।

BJP और इनके पुरखों ने कभी आजादी की लड़ाई नहीं लड़ी, इसलिए ये लोग कांग्रेस के लोगों को देशभक्ति न सिखाएं।

असल में- ‘Anti-India’ और ‘Anti-religion’ तो BJP है, क्योंकि जब मैंने उत्तराखंड में भाषण… pic.twitter.com/LE0gYLwE4J

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) August 17, 2026

The alleged ‘purification’ took place at Ramlila Maidan in Uttarakhand where Kharge had made a speech on August 8. “Does your religion teach this? Do your people teach this? Do your gurus teach you to do this?” he charged.

Religion should not be reduced to such acts, he said, questioning the BJP over its ‘selective interpretation of religious values’.

The Congress chief also slammed the BJP and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh over their claims of patriotism, challenging the saffron party leaders to identify those in the organisations who fought in the freedom struggle.

“Our people fought for the country’s independence. You fought too? Tell me, which BJP person fought for this country’s independence? Which RSS person fought for this country’s independence? And you lecture us about patriotism?” he charged.

Kharge alleged that the BJP had no moral authority to question the patriotism of Congress leaders.

“These people are anti-national. You are the anti-India ones,” he said.

He charged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had frequently criticised former Congress president Sonia Gandhi and the Gandhi family.

Taking a dig at Shah, he said, “When I became an MLA, Amit Shah was not even born. How old is he? Is he 57 or 58? These people are 56 or 57 years old. Our people fought for the freedom of the country. You fought? Tell me. Which BJP man fought for the freedom of this country? Which RSS man fought for the freedom of this country? And we are not patriots? These people are against the country. Anti-India. You are anti-India.”

“I am a representative of the people. And as a representative of the people, I will keep travelling, I will keep speaking, I will keep fighting, and I will keep exposing and defeating these people,” he said.

Hitting out at the BJP government in Goa, Kharge noted that of the state’s 12 ministers, 10 were former Congress leaders who had defected.

“Our people won by a huge margin in Goa, but the defectors — some people fled — and today, out of 12 ministers, 10 are from the Congress,” he said.

He described the defectors as ‘traitors’ and alleged that their switching sides had hurt Goa’s morality and self-respect.

“Do not vote for the traitors. If you vote for them, you too will become a traitor,” Kharge said, appealing to voters to support the Congress to protect Goa.