"Words Are Misused": After M Kharge's 'Ravan' Remark, Advice From Within

Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, whose "Ravan" remarks targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi sparked a backlash for the party, has been "advised" from within to choose his words carefully as they could be misused.

Mumtaz Patel, a Congress leader from Bharuch in Gujarat and the daughter of Sonia Gandhi's political advisor Ahmed Patel, has said that it is prudent to avoid such comments.

"We should be careful about what we say because words are misused and the real message is lost," Ms Patel told NDTV on a question about the slurs against PM Modi that have largely backfired on the Congress. She later added that her advice to to all parties and all leaders and not specifically to the Congress.

Mr Kharge had made the ill-advised comment earlier this week, while campaigning in Gujarat for the first time since taking over as Congress president.

"Modi ji is Prime Minister. Forgetting his work, he keeps campaigning in corporation elections, MLA elections, MP elections, everywhere... All the time he's talking about himself - 'You don't have to look at anyone else, just look at Modi and vote'. How many times do we see your face? How many forms do you have? Do you have 100 heads like Ravan?" Mr Kharge had said.

Days before him, his party colleague Madhusudan Mistry had made comments referring to "aukat (status)" that PM Modi has raised repeatedly in his rallies.

The Prime Minister responded to the Congress leaders' barbs at a rally yesterday in Kalol, Gujarat.

"There is a competition in the Congress on who will insult Modi more, use bigger, sharper insults," PM Modi said while campaigning in Gujarat's Kalol.

"A few days back, a Congress leader said Modi will die a dog's death, another said Modi will die Hitler's death. Another said if I get a chance, I'll kill Modi myself...Someone says Ravan, someone says rakshash (demon), someone says cockroach... I'm not surprised that Congress calls Modi names, I'm surprised - anyone would be - that despite using such words, the Congress never has remorse. Congress thinks it is their right to insult Modi, the Prime Minister of this country."

Ahmed Patel, who was Congress president Sonia Gandhi's most trusted aide, died of Covid at 71, two years ago.

Though his daughter Mumtaz Patel is not politically active, she has weighed in on subjects related to the Congress often.

She did not contest the Gujarat election but was non-committal on fighting the 2024 election as a Congress candidate. "For the time being, I'll observe and understand things. After that, I'll go among the public and then, I'll contest...Let's see after a year," she was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.