Kharge makes gaffe on Presidents' names during Raipur speech

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 08, Jul 2025, 16:56 pm IST | UPDATED: 08, Jul 2025, 16:56 pm IST

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge once again found himself at the centre of a political storm after he mispronounced the names of President Droupadi Murmu and former President Ram Nath Kovind during a public address in Chhattisgarh. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was quick to pounce on the slip-ups, using them as fresh ammunition to criticise the senior Congress leader. Speaking at a gathering held at Science Ground in Raipur on Monday, Kharge was heard referring to the President as "Murma ji." He, however, quickly corrected himself and said "Murmu." But within moments, another gaffe followed as he referred to former President Kovind as "Covid", sparking sharp reactions.

Kharge made the remarks while voicing concerns over the large-scale felling of trees in Chhattisgarh's forests. In his speech, he alleged that the BJP, along with its "industrialist friends", was engaged in grabbing tribal land and destroying natural resources. "Our jal, jungle and zameen need to be protected and hence we need to be united... They (BJP) say we made (Droupadi) Murma President, (Ram Nath) Covid (Kovind) President, but why? To steal our resources... our jungle... jal... and zameen. Today, people like Adani and Ambani are occupying it," Kharge added.

Following this, the BJP came down heavily on Kharge and accused him of insulting President Droupadi Murmu and her predecessor Ram Nath Kovind by using certain "objectionable" words against them, and demanded a public apology from him and his party. At a press conference on Tuesday, BJP national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia charged that Kharge used "objectionable words for President Droupadi Murmu ji and former President Ram Nath Kovind ji”. This shows the "anti-Dalit, anti-Adivasi and anti-Constitution" mindset of the Congress in its DNA, Bhatia said. "You (Kharge) talk big - you called Ram Nath Kovind ji 'covid'...You call 'Murma ji' and then call her (President Droupadi Murmu) a land mafia, alleging that she has become President to snatch away assets, forests," the BJP spokesperson added.

Bhatia demanded that Kharge apologise for making "distasteful and derogatory" remarks against Murmu and Kovind, alleging the Congress president did not only insult them but also hurt the sentiments of Adivasi and Dalit community members with his comments. He also demanded a public apology from the Congress for Kharge's remarks and asked the Congress workers to make him resign from the post of party president. "If the Congress and Mallikarjun Kharge do not apologise, you will see every citizen (of the country) expressing their anger. This mistake will cost Congress dearly," Bhatia said. Calling Kharge a "remote-controlled" national president of the Congress, the BJP spokesperson alleged that he made "objectionable comments" at the behest of party leader Rahul Gandhi.