Kharge 'baap' row: Mayawati slams ‘toxic politics’, says personal attacks not in national interest

New Delhi: Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati on Tuesday expressed concern over the declining standards of political discourse in the country, saying that personal attacks, abusive language and toxic politics were neither in the national interest nor conducive to public welfare.

In a post on X, Mayawati said that mutual distrust, animosity, bitterness and a blame game in Indian politics have deteriorated to an alarming level, with personal attacks increasingly becoming unrestrained, unparliamentary, undignified, insulting, narrow-minded and caste-driven, even extending to violent rhetoric.

“…Those occupying top positions should, if not show proper respect for one another, at least refrain from encouraging objectionable and toxic politics in any form,” Mayawati said.

She warned that the growing prevalence of narrow-minded and self-serving politics, particularly that which was anti-poor, could weaken public faith in the country’s political system, which would not be in the interest of the nation or its people.

Mayawati also pointed to widespread corruption at the government level and questions being raised over the electoral process, saying that these issues had already caused considerable unease among the public.

“In such a situation, the ego battles among political leaders are making the situation even more difficult,” she said.

The BSP chief emphasised that people wanted political parties and their leaders to focus on resolving pressing problems such as poverty, unemployment and inflation rather than engaging in personal confrontations.

“Such a trend is inappropriate. It would be better if everyone paid due attention to this,” she said, urging political leaders across party lines to exercise restraint in their public statements.

Her remarks came amid a political controversy over Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s recent comment targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s late father at an event in Patna.

The controversy surrounding Kharge erupted during his address at a Congress event in Patna on Sunday. A person in the audience reportedly interrupted the Congress president, asserting that the 'Modi nahin jaayega' (Prime Minister would not leave power).

Kharge responded, “Modi ka baap bhi jayega” (Even Modi’s father will have to go), repeating the remark and triggering a political row.

The statement drew sharp criticism from BJP leaders, who accused the Congress president of crossing the limits of political discourse by making a remark directed at the Prime Minister’s late father.

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