New Delhi, April 10 – Even before the dust settled on Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's remark about "Gujaratis being illiterates," another party leader added fuel to the fire by calling them "infiltrators."
The latest derogatory comments targeting North Indians, particularly those from Gujarat, came from Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar, who described Gujaratis as the "biggest infiltrators" and called for their removal from the state, which is heading for elections.
The 14-second video clip, shared by the popular X handle 'Political Kida', is undated and does not reveal the location of the public rally, but is going viral on social media. It shows the Congress leader criticizing Gujaratis during a political rally, purportedly in the run-up to the Assam elections.
Addressing a gathering, Kanhaiya said, "When I was asked by journalists about the issue of infiltrators in the Assembly elections, I said – the biggest infiltrator has come from Gujarat. People should throw him out of the state along with Himanta Biswa Sarma."
Although Kanhaiya did not name anyone specifically, his comments, purportedly aimed at BJP leaders from Gujarat, have drawn strong criticism and backlash from netizens.
Several social media users reacted to the video, saying that the Congress party is adept at self-sabotage. Instead of targeting real infiltrators, they are labeling their own citizens as such, one user said, while another stated that this would prevent the party from needing any enemies.
Notably, the issue of illegal Bangladeshi migrants remained central to the high-stakes election campaign in Assam, with the Chief Minister and the BJP reiterating how the illegal infiltrators posed a threat to the state's demographics.
The uproar over fresh slander against Gujaratis comes on the heels of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's recent controversial statement, where he referred to Gujarat residents as "illiterates" who could be easily manipulated.
This statement sparked a huge uproar within the BJP, with many demanding not just a retraction but also an apology from the Congress veteran.
Kharge later apologized, possibly fearing repercussions in the Assembly elections, and stated that his words had been "deliberately misinterpreted."
