Congress leader Ashok Gehlot accuses Assam CM, BJP of 'anti-Dalit mindset' over 'madman' remark on Kharge

Senior Congress leader Ashok Gehlot on April 7 accused the BJP of revealing an “anti-Dalit mindset” following controversial remarks made by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma against Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.

The row escalated after Sarma alleged that Kharge was “speaking like a madman” due to his age, triggering sharp criticism from the Congress.

Gehlot condemned the statement, calling it indicative of a broader decline in political standards. “The comments against Kharge are condemnable and reflect a decline in political discourse. Kharge has had a long public life and using such language against a leader of his stature is unacceptable in a civilised society,” he said.

He further alleged that Sarma frequently targets senior Congress leaders, including Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, to signal loyalty to the BJP’s central leadership.

Criticism was also directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with Gehlot describing his silence on the controversy as “unfortunate” and suggesting it indicated a lack of concern within the party leadership over such remarks.

Linking the episode to broader social issues, Gehlot claimed the incident reflected the BJP’s attitude towards the Dalit community.

The controversy comes amid ongoing political tensions involving Congress leader Pawan Khera, who recently alleged that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, held multiple passports and undisclosed foreign assets—claims not listed in the chief minister’s election affidavit. Kharge has since called on central agencies to investigate the allegations.