New Delhi, April 8 Members of the Gujarati community held a protest outside the Congress office here on Wednesday, protesting alleged insults by the party's national president, Mallikarjun Kharge, during a recent election campaign in Kerala.
Kharge had stirred controversy during a rally in Kerala's Idukki district on Sunday when he said the people of the southern state are "educated and clever" and cannot be misled, unlike those in Gujarat and some other places, who are "illiterate".
The protesters raised slogans such as "Stop the politics of insult" and "Gujarat has woken up", expressing anger over the alleged "derogatory comments" against the community.
Leaders and members of the Gujarati associations joined the demonstration and demanded an apology from the Congress leadership.
Dhaval Patel, a BJP MLA from Gujarat's Vansda, alleged that the remarks reflected a pattern of "insulting Gujaratis" by opposition leaders.
He referred to past statements attributed to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and others, claiming that such comments had hurt the sentiments of the community across the country.
Another participant, Anand MP Mitesh Patel, said that Gujaratis had gathered in Delhi following appeals from community groups.
Citing contributions of leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he asserted that Gujarat had played a key role in the country's history and development.
The protesters said that demonstrations were being held in different parts of the country and warned that the agitation would continue until Kharge and other Congress leaders issued an apology.
There was no immediate response from Congress on the protest.
Meanwhile, former South Delhi mayor Narendra Kumar Chawla has filed a complaint with the Election Commission of India against Kharge over alleged "inflammatory" remarks made during an election rally in Assam on April 6. The complaint said the statements were widely circulated and violated the Model Code of Conduct.
He urged the poll panel to take appropriate action, including barring Kharge from campaigning and initiating legal proceedings, and alleged that the remarks could affect public order and communal harmony.